Definition
Ijolite is an intrusive igneous rock which is composed mainly of nepheline and an alkali pyroxene, usually aegirine-augite
  
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance
  
History
  
  
Origin
Finland, Europe
  
France
  
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 Latin varius, speckled, variegated
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Earthy, Granular
  
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
  
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
  
Dull and Soft
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
  
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Not Available
  
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
  
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
  
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
  
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, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Not Applicable
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5.5-6
  
6
  
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
  
Not Applicable
  
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Greasy to Dull
  
Not Available
  
Compressive Strength
Not Available
  
37.50 N/mm
2
  
27
Cleavage
Poor
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
2.3
  
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.76
  
2.8-3
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.6 g/cm3
  
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.84 kJ/Kg K
  
15
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
  
India, Russia
  
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
South Africa
  
Europe
England, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom
  
Iceland
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Colombia
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
Not Yet Found
  
Ijolite vs Variolite 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 Variolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Ijolite and Properties of Variolite. Learn more about Ijolite vs Variolite 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 Variolite include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Ijolite and Variolite, 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 Variolite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Ijolite and Variolite
Here you can know more about Ijolite and Variolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Ijolite and Variolite 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 Variolite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Ijolite vs Variolite, 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, Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Ijolite is Banded and Foilated and that of Variolite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Ijolite vs Variolite. The hardness of Ijolite is 5.5-6 and that of Variolite is 6. The types of Ijolite are Not Available whereas types of Variolite are Not Available. 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 Variolite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Ijolite is Not Available and that of Variolite 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 Variolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.