Definition
Kenyte is a variety of porphyritic phonolite or trachyte rock with rhomb shaped phenocrysts of anorthoclase with variable olivine and augite in a glassy matrix
  
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
  
History
  
  
Origin
Mount Kenya
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
J. W. Gregory
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From the mountain ranges- Mount Kenya and is named by J. W. Gregory in 1900
  
From Latin basanites + -ite
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Glassy, Granular
  
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
  
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
  
Glassy or Pearly
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Whetstones
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
  
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
As a touchstone, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
  
Types
Not Available
  
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
  
Features
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Kenyte 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.
  
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
  
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5.5-6
  
7
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
  
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Greasy to Dull
  
Waxy and Dull
  
Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm
2
  
14
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Poor
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
1.5
  
Specific Gravity
2.6
  
2.5-2.8
  
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
2.6 g/cm3
  
2.7 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.74 kJ/Kg K
  
19
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
  
Not Yet Found
  
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Uganda
  
Europe
Andorra, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
  
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
  
Others
Greenland
  
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
USA
  
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
  
Bolivia, Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
  
Kenyte vs Basanite 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. Kenyte vs Basanite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Kenyte and Properties of Basanite . Learn more about Kenyte vs Basanite in the next section. The interior uses of Kenyte include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Basanite include Decorative aggregates and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Kenyte and Basanite , they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Kenyte in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics and that of Basanite include Arrowheads, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, Spear points.
More about Kenyte and Basanite
Here you can know more about Kenyte and Basanite . The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Kenyte and Basanite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Kenyte includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite and mineral content of Basanite includes Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Kenyte vs Basanite , the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Kenyte is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. Appearance of Kenyte is Banded and Foilated and that of Basanite is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Kenyte vs Basanite . The hardness of Kenyte is 5.5-6 and that of Basanite is 7. The types of Kenyte are Not Available whereas types of Basanite are Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Kenyte and Basanite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Kenyte is Not Available and that of Basanite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Kenyte is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Basanite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.