Litchfieldite and Blue Granite

Litchfieldite

Blue Granite

Definition

Litchfieldite is a rare igneous rock which is coarse-grained, foliated and a variety of nepheline syenite, sometimes also called as nepheline syenite gneiss or gneissic nepeheline syenite

Blue Granite is an igneous rock and a variety of Larvikite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized blue crystals of feldspar

History

Origin

USA

Unknown

Discoverer

Bayley

Unknown

Etymology

From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA

From the color of rock, Blue

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular

Phaneritic

Color

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling

Types

Borolanite and Litchfieldite

Not Available

Features

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

Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Litchfieldite 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.

Blue Granite is an igneous rock which is a variety of Larvikite and is known mainly for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar.

Composition

Mineral Content

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

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

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

6-7

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Not Available

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Greasy to Dull

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²

175.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Poor

Not Available

Toughness

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.6

2.8-3

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.6 g/cm³

2.9-2.91 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

0.79 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Not Yet Found

Africa

South Africa

Not Yet Found

Europe

Finland, Norway, Portugal

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada

USA

South America

Brazil

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

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

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Litchfieldite and Blue Granite Properties

Know all about Litchfieldite and Blue Granite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Litchfieldite and Blue Granite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Litchfieldite is Granular whereas that of Blue Granite is Phaneritic. Litchfieldite appears Banded and Foilated and Blue Granite appears Shiny. The luster of Litchfieldite is greasy to dull while that of Blue Granite is subvitreous to dull. Litchfieldite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Blue Granite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Litchfieldite are creating artwork and that of Blue Granite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling.