Definition
Lherzolite is a type of ultramafic igneous rock which contains essential olivine and clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene in equal proportions
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone
Origin
France
Pennines, England
Discoverer
Unknown
J.J. Ferber
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 Grit + Stone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Pink, Purple
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Layered and Foliated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, 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.
Construction Aggregate, Roadstone
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
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Types
Garnet Lherzolite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained 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
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not 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.
Gritstone is a type of sedimentary rock which was formed on the floors of wide river deltas where the grit deposits were laid down, with every tide or flood dumping another layer of sediment.
Mineral Content
Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite
Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
CaO, Cr, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull
Toughness
2.7
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.250
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.2 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia, South Korea
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Western Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Lherzolite vs Gritstone 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. Lherzolite vs Gritstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Lherzolite and Properties of Gritstone. Learn more about Lherzolite vs Gritstone in the next section. The interior uses of Lherzolite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Gritstone include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Lherzolite and Gritstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Lherzolite in construction industry include Landscaping, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills. and that of Gritstone include Construction aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Lherzolite and Gritstone
Here you can know more about Lherzolite and Gritstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Lherzolite and Gritstone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Lherzolite includes Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite and mineral content of Gritstone includes Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Lherzolite vs Gritstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Lherzolite is available in black, dark greenish - grey, green, pink, purple colors whereas, Gritstone is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Lherzolite is Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated and that of Gritstone is Layered and Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Lherzolite vs Gritstone. The hardness of Lherzolite is 6.5 and that of Gritstone is 6-7. The types of Lherzolite are Garnet Lherzolite whereas types of Gritstone are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Lherzolite and Gritstone is white. The specific heat capacity of Lherzolite is 0.95 kJ/Kg K and that of Gritstone 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.Lherzolite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Gritstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.