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.
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Origin
Kimberley, South Africa
USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Kimberley + -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Quench
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
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, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
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, Gemstone
Types
Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites
Not Available
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
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Vitreous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Conchoidal
Irregular
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Great Britain, Switzerland
Others
Antarctica
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Kimberlite vs Pseudotachylite 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 Pseudotachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Kimberlite and Properties of Pseudotachylite. Learn more about Kimberlite vs Pseudotachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Kimberlite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pseudotachylite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Kimberlite and Pseudotachylite, 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 Pseudotachylite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Kimberlite and Pseudotachylite
Here you can know more about Kimberlite and Pseudotachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Kimberlite and Pseudotachylite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Kimberlite includes Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene and mineral content of Pseudotachylite includes Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Kimberlite vs Pseudotachylite, 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, Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Kimberlite is Dull and Banded and that of Pseudotachylite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Kimberlite vs Pseudotachylite. The hardness of Kimberlite is 6-7 and that of Pseudotachylite is 7. The types of Kimberlite are Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites whereas types of Pseudotachylite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Kimberlite is white while that of Pseudotachylite is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Kimberlite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Pseudotachylite 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 Pseudotachylite is heat resistant.