Kimberlite

Diamictite

Kimberlite and Diamictite

Kimberlite

Diamictite

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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.

Diamictite is a sedimentary rock that consists of non-sorted to poorly sorted terrigenous sediment containing particles that range in size from clay to boulders, suspended in a matrix of mudstone or sandstone

History

Origin

Kimberley, South Africa

Southern Mongolia

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 Greek dia through and meiktós or mixed

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Porphyritic

Clastic

Color

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

Brown, Buff

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull and Banded

Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, Paving Stone

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, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

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)

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Production of Lime

Types

Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites

Bedded Diamictite and Laminated Diamictite

Features

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

Host Rock for Lead, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Present

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.

Diamictite is unevenly sorted terrigenous, non-calcareous sedimentary rock which forms due to weathering of mudstone and sandstone.

Composition

Mineral Content

Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene

Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz

Compound Content

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

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

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-72-3

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine to Coarse Grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

White

Light to dark brown

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous

Compressive Strength

260.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Conchoidal

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.86-2.874.3-5.0

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.95-2.96 g/cm³2.2-2.35 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.75 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Russia

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia

Africa

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others

Antarctica

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador

Brazil, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

New South Wales, New Zealand

All about Kimberlite and Diamictite Properties

Know all about Kimberlite and Diamictite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Kimberlite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Diamictite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Kimberlite is Porphyritic whereas that of Diamictite is Clastic. Kimberlite appears Dull and Banded and Diamictite appears Banded. The luster of Kimberlite is subvitreous to dull while that of Diamictite is grainy, pearly and vitreous. Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors whereas Diamictite is available in brown, buff 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 Diamictite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork, production of lime.