Kimberlite

Diorite

Kimberlite and Diorite

Kimberlite

Diorite

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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.

Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene

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 early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Porphyritic

Phaneritic

Color

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

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull and Banded

Shiny

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, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

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)

Creating Artwork, Curling

Types

Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites

Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite

Features

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

Typically speckled black and white.

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.

Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock which contains large interlocking and randomly oriented crystals and forms when molten lava does not reach the Earth’s surface and cools down in the Earth’s crust.

Composition

Mineral Content

Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene

Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon

Compound Content

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

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological 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, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-76-7

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine to Coarse Grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Bluish Black

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Shiny

Compressive Strength

260.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Conchoidal

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.86-2.872.8-3

0 8.4

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Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.95-2.96 g/cm³2.8-3 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

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Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Russia

Africa

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa

Egypt

Europe

England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom

Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom

Others

Antarctica

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

New Zealand, Western Australia

All about Kimberlite and Diorite Properties

Know all about Kimberlite and Diorite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Kimberlite and Diorite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Kimberlite is Porphyritic whereas that of Diorite is Phaneritic. Kimberlite appears Dull and Banded and Diorite appears Shiny. The luster of Kimberlite is subvitreous to dull while that of Diorite is shiny. Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors whereas Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, 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 Diorite are creating artwork, curling.