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.
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
Origin
Kimberley, South Africa
Italy
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 Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
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
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Shiny and Rounded
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
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, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
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, In aquifers, Tombstones
Types
Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites
Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate
Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Archaeological Significance
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.
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
Mineral Content
Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
NaCl, CaO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.86-2.88
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
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
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Kimberlite vs Conglomerate Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Kimberlite vs Conglomerate characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Kimberlite and Properties of Conglomerate. Learn more about Kimberlite vs Conglomerate in the next section. The interior uses of Kimberlite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Conglomerate include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Kimberlite and Conglomerate, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Kimberlite in construction industry include 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 and that of Conglomerate include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Kimberlite and Conglomerate
Here you can know more about Kimberlite and Conglomerate. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Kimberlite and Conglomerate consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Kimberlite includes Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene and mineral content of Conglomerate includes Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Kimberlite vs Conglomerate, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors whereas, Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, rust, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Kimberlite is Dull and Banded and that of Conglomerate is Shiny and Rounded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Kimberlite vs Conglomerate. The hardness of Kimberlite is 6-7 and that of Conglomerate is 2-3. The types of Kimberlite are Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites whereas types of Conglomerate are Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Kimberlite and Conglomerate is white. The specific heat capacity of Kimberlite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Conglomerate is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Kimberlite is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Conglomerate is heat resistant.