Ijolite and Gritstone

Ijolite

Gritstone

Definition

Ijolite is an intrusive igneous rock which is composed mainly of nepheline and an alkali pyroxene, usually aegirine-augite

Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone

History

Origin

Finland, Europe

Pennines, England

Discoverer

Unknown

J.J. Ferber

Etymology

From the first syllable of the Finnish words Ii-vaara, Iijoki, &c. commonly used geographical names in Finland, and the Gr. Xiflos, a stone

From Grit + Stone

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Granular

Earthy

Color

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Layered and Foliated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Construction Aggregate, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones

Types

Not Available

Features

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Ijolite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.

Gritstone is a type of sedimentary rock which was formed on the floors of wide river deltas where the grit deposits were laid down, with every tide or flood dumping another layer of sediment.

Composition

Mineral Content

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

6-7

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Greasy to Dull

Dull

Compressive Strength

Not Available

70.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Poor

Perfect

Toughness

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.76

2.250

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.6 g/cm³

2.2 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

0.92 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan

Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

England, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Ijolite and Gritstone Properties

Know all about Ijolite and Gritstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Ijolite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Gritstone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Ijolite is Earthy, Granular whereas that of Gritstone is Earthy. Ijolite appears Banded and Foilated and Gritstone appears Layered and Foliated. The luster of Ijolite is greasy to dull while that of Gritstone is dull. Ijolite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Gritstone is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Ijolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Gritstone are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones.