Definition
Larvikite is an igneous rock and a variety of monzonite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar
Comendite is a hard, peralkaline igneous rock, a type of light blue grey rhyolite
Origin
Larvik, Norway
Italy
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the town of Larvik in Norway, where this type of igneous rock is found
Comendite derives its name from the area of Le Commende on San Pietro Island in Italy
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
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Blue, Bluish - Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Shiny
Foliated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers
Types
Quartz Monzonite, Syenite and Diorite
Rhyolite
Features
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock
Very fine grained rock, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
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
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.
Comendite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed due to cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It may form with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Albite, Amphibole, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Al, Fe, Potassium Oxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Medium Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Pervasive
Streak
White
Bluish Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
2
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.38
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-2.91 g/cm3
Not Available
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Not Yet Found
East Africa
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Italy
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Queensland