Definition
Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
History
Origin
Kimberley, South Africa
-
Discoverer
John W. Judd
Unknown
Etymology
From Kimberley + -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Volcanic
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Foliated, Glassy
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Architecture
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
Kimberlite is an igneous rock and is the main source of diamonds. Its formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface between 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.
Composition
Mineral Content
Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
6-75-6
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Pearly to Subvitreous
Compressive Strength
260.00 N/mm2180.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Conchoidal
-
Toughness
-
-
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.872.62-2.82
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.95-2.96 g/cm32.7-4 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia
-
Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
-
Europe
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Others
Antarctica
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada
South America
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Bolivia, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia