Definition
Lherzolite is a type of ultramafic igneous rock which contains essential olivine and clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene in equal proportions
Kenyte is a variety of porphyritic phonolite or trachyte rock with rhomb shaped phenocrysts of anorthoclase with variable olivine and augite in a glassy matrix
Origin
France
Mount Kenya
Discoverer
Unknown
J. W. Gregory
Etymology
From the Lherz Massif, an alpine peridotite complex, at Étang de Lers, near Massat in the French Pyrenees; Lherz is the archaic spelling of this location
From the mountain ranges- Mount Kenya and is named by J. W. Gregory in 1900
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Grenue
Glassy, Granular
Color
Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Pink, Purple
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Landscaping, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
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
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
As armour rock for sea walls, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Garnet Lherzolite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
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
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Formation
Lherzolite 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.
Kenyte 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.
Mineral Content
Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Compound Content
CaO, Cr, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Greasy to Dull
Toughness
2.7
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.6
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia, South Korea
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
Africa
Western Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Andorra, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia