Home
Compare Rocks


Kimberlite and Larvikite


Larvikite and Kimberlite


Definition

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.   
Larvikite is an igneous rock and a variety of monzonite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar   

History
  
  

Origin
Kimberley, South Africa   
Larvik, Norway   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Kimberley +‎ -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.   
From the town of Larvik in Norway, where this type of igneous rock is found   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Porphyritic   
Phaneritic   

Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey   
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Dull and Banded   
Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone   

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, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

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)   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites   
Quartz Monzonite, Syenite and 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   
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Larvikite 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.   

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
6-7   

Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Not Available   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Very Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull   
Subvitreous to Dull   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
310.00 N/mm2   
2

Cleavage
Conchoidal   
Not Available   

Toughness
Not Available   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87   
2.8-3   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.95-2.96 g/cm3   
2.9-2.91 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Russia   
Not Yet Found   

Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa   
Not Yet Found   

Europe
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom   
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland   

Others
Antarctica   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
USA   

South America
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador   
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Kimberlite and Larvikite Properties

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

Compare Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

» More Igneous Rocks

Compare Igneous Rocks

» More Compare Igneous Rocks