Kimberlite

Aplite

Kimberlite and Aplite

Kimberlite

Aplite

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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.

Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz

History

Origin

Kimberley, South Africa

Iran

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 German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Porphyritic

Granular, Graphic

Color

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull and Banded

Veined or Pebbled

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts

Other Architectural Uses

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

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, 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)

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones

Types

Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites

Igneous rock

Features

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

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.

Aplites belong to intrusive igneous rocks which are mostly quart and alkali feldspar and are formed from residual eutectic granitic liquids and represent the final crystallization products of magma.

Composition

Mineral Content

Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-76.5

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine to Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous

Compressive Strength

260.00 N/mm²130.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Conchoidal

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.86-2.872.6

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.95-2.96 g/cm³2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.79 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Russia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa

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

Europe

England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom

Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic

Others

Antarctica

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Kimberlite and Aplite Properties

Know all about Kimberlite and Aplite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Kimberlite and Aplite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Kimberlite is Porphyritic whereas that of Aplite is Granular, Graphic. Kimberlite appears Dull and Banded and Aplite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Kimberlite is subvitreous to dull while that of Aplite is dull to pearly to subvitreous. Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors whereas Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Kimberlite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Aplite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, small sculptures, tombstones.