Kimberlite

Litchfieldite

Kimberlite vs Litchfieldite

Kimberlite

Litchfieldite

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1 Definition

1.1 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.

Litchfieldite is a rare igneous rock which is coarse-grained, foliated and a variety of nepheline syenite, sometimes also called as nepheline syenite gneiss or gneissic nepeheline syenite

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Kimberley, South Africa

USA

1.2.2 Discoverer

Unknown

Bayley

1.3 Etymology

From Kimberley +‎ -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.

From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Volcanic

Plutonic

1.6 Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Porphyritic

Granular

2.2 Color

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

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

81% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

81% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

86% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

86% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

66% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

66% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

49% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

49% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

48% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

48% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

2.5 Appearance

Dull and Banded

Banded and Foilated

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 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, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 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

4 Types

4.1 Types

Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites

Borolanite and Litchfieldite

4.2 Features

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

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

4.3.5 Pictographs

Not Used

Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Litchfieldite 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.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

5.2.2 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

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

97% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

97% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

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

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

99% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

99% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

92% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

92% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

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

Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

6-7

5.5-6

6.1.2 Grain Size

Fine to Coarse Grained

Coarse Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

Conchoidal to Uneven

6.1.4 Streak

White

6.1.5 Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Greasy to Dull

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

Flint

⊕

▶

▼

Not Available

Rank: N/A (Overall)▶

150.00 N/mm²

Rank: 14 (Overall)▶

▲

Obsidian

⊕

▶

175 (Granite)

◀ ▶ ADD ⊕

6.1.8 Cleavage

Conchoidal

Poor

6.1.9 Toughness

Not Available

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.86-2.87

2.6

6.1.11 Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.95-2.96 g/cm³

2.6 g/cm³

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

Banded iron for..

⊕

▶

▼

0.92 kJ/Kg K

Rank: 10 (Overall)▶

Not Available

Rank: N/A (Overall)▶

▲

Granulite

⊕

▶

1.09 (Travertine)

◀ ▶ ADD ⊕

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

Russia

Not Yet Found

7.1.2 Africa

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa

South Africa

7.1.3 Europe

England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom

Finland, Norway, Portugal

7.1.4 Others

Antarctica

Not Yet Found

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

Canada

7.2.2 South America

Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador

Brazil

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

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

Not Yet Found

Kimberlite vs Litchfieldite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Kimberlite and Litchfieldite Reserves. Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.. Litchfieldite is a rare igneous rock which is coarse-grained, foliated and a variety of nepheline syenite, sometimes also called as nepheline syenite gneiss or gneissic nepeheline syenite. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Kimberlite vs Litchfieldite information and Kimberlite vs Litchfieldite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Kimberlite vs Litchfieldite 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 Litchfieldite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Kimberlite and Properties of Litchfieldite. Learn more about Kimberlite vs Litchfieldite in the next section. The interior uses of Kimberlite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Litchfieldite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Kimberlite and Litchfieldite, 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 Litchfieldite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics.

More about Kimberlite and Litchfieldite

Here you can know more about Kimberlite and Litchfieldite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Kimberlite and Litchfieldite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Kimberlite includes Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene and mineral content of Litchfieldite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Kimberlite vs Litchfieldite, 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, Litchfieldite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Kimberlite is Dull and Banded and that of Litchfieldite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Kimberlite vs Litchfieldite. The hardness of Kimberlite is 6-7 and that of Litchfieldite is 5.5-6. The types of Kimberlite are Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites whereas types of Litchfieldite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Kimberlite and Litchfieldite is white. The specific heat capacity of Kimberlite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Litchfieldite is Not Available. 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 Litchfieldite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.