Definition
Larvikite is an igneous rock and a variety of monzonite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar
Boninite is a mafic extrusive rock which is high in magnesium and silica content, formed in fore-arc environments, typically during the early stages of subduction
Origin
Larvik, Norway
Japan
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the town of Larvik in Norway, where this type of igneous rock is found
From its occurrence in the Izu-Bonin arc south of Japan
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Shiny
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
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
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Quartz Monzonite, Syenite and Diorite
Basalt
Features
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, High Mg content, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
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.
Boninite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or existing rocks.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Vitreous
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-2.91 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
England, Finland, United Kingdom
Others
-
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Colombia, Uruguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia