Definition
Ijolite is an intrusive igneous rock which is composed mainly of nepheline and an alkali pyroxene, usually aegirine-augite
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
Origin
Finland, Europe
New Zealand
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
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 German which means hornstone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Granular
Granular, Platy
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Alkaline rock
Biotite hornfels
Features
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Andalusite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Shiny
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.76
3.4-3.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Europe
England, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Ijolite vs Hornfels Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Ijolite vs Hornfels characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Ijolite and Properties of Hornfels. Learn more about Ijolite vs Hornfels in the next section. The interior uses of Ijolite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Ijolite and Hornfels, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Ijolite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Hornfels include For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Ijolite and Hornfels
Here you can know more about Ijolite and Hornfels. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Ijolite and Hornfels consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Ijolite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite and mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Ijolite vs Hornfels, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Ijolite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Ijolite is Banded and Foilated and that of Hornfels is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Ijolite vs Hornfels. The hardness of Ijolite is 5.5-6 and that of Hornfels is 2-3. The types of Ijolite are Alkaline rock whereas types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Ijolite is white while that of Hornfels is . The specific heat capacity of Ijolite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Hornfels is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Ijolite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.