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Larvikite and Gabbro


Gabbro and Larvikite


Definition

Definition
Larvikite is an igneous rock and a variety of monzonite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar   
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt   

History
  
  

Origin
Larvik, Norway   
Germany   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Christian Leopold von Buch   

Etymology
From the town of Larvik in Norway, where this type of igneous rock is found   
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Phaneritic   
Phaneritic   

Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White   
Dark Grey to Black   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Shiny   
Veined and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   

Types

Types
Quartz Monzonite, Syenite and Diorite   
Not Available   

Features
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock   
Smooth to touch   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon   
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Impact Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Chemical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion   
Coastal Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
7   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Not Available   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull   
Not Available   

Compressive Strength
310.00 N/mm2   
2
225.00 N/mm2   
7

Cleavage
Not Available   
Not Available   

Toughness
Not Available   
1.6   

Specific Gravity
2.8-3   
2.86-2.87   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.9-2.91 g/cm3   
2.7-3.3 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Not Yet Found   
India, Russia   

Africa
Not Yet Found   
South Africa   

Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland   
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru   
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Larvikite and Gabbro Properties

Know all about Larvikite and Gabbro properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Larvikite and Gabbro belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Larvikite is Phaneritic whereas that of Gabbro is Phaneritic. Larvikite appears Shiny and Gabbro appears Veined and Shiny. The luster of Larvikite is subvitreous to dull while that of Gabbro is not available. Larvikite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Gabbro is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Larvikite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Gabbro are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.

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