Home
Compare Rocks


Litchfieldite and Boninite


Boninite and Litchfieldite


Definition

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   
Boninite is a mafic extrusive rock which is high in magnesium and silica content, formed in fore-arc environments, typically during the early stages of subduction   

History
  
  

Origin
USA   
Japan   

Discoverer
Bayley   
Unknown   

Etymology
From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA   
From its occurrence in the Izu-Bonin arc south of Japan   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Volcanic   

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

Texture

Texture
Granular   
Aphanitic to Porphyritic   

Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White   
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Banded and Foilated   
Dull and Soft   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Not Yet Used   

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 a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

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 and Patterns, High Mg content, Is one of the oldest 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
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Boninite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or existing rocks.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite   
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite   

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
7   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven   
Uneven   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Greasy to Dull   
Vitreous   

Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2   
14
Not Available   

Cleavage
Poor   
Not Available   

Toughness
Not Available   
1.1   

Specific Gravity
2.6   
2.5-2.8   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6 g/cm3   
Not Available   

Thermal Properties
  
  

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Not Yet Found   
Not Available   

Africa
South Africa   
South Africa   

Europe
Finland, Norway, Portugal   
England, Finland, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Antarctica, Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada   
USA   

South America
Brazil   
Colombia, Uruguay   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
New Zealand, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Litchfieldite and Boninite Properties

Know all about Litchfieldite and Boninite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Litchfieldite and Boninite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Litchfieldite is Granular whereas that of Boninite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Litchfieldite appears Banded and Foilated and Boninite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Litchfieldite is greasy to dull while that of Boninite is vitreous. Litchfieldite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Boninite is available in bluish - grey, brown, colourless, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Litchfieldite are creating artwork and that of Boninite are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).

Compare Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

» More Igneous Rocks

Compare Igneous Rocks

» More Compare Igneous Rocks