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
Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava
History
Origin
USA
North America
Discoverer
Bayley
Theodor von Gümbel
Etymology
From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA
From Andes mountains, where it is found in abundance
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
Granular
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Maintenance
Less
More
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Dull and Soft
Architecture
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
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
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
Icelandite
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
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
Middle of the Earth in Ecuador
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
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.
Andesite is a fine-grained igneous rock that forms when the magma is erupted onto the surface and is crystallized quickly.
Composition
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon
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
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
5.5-67
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very 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/mm2225.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
1.1
Specific Gravity
2.62.5-2.8
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm32.11-2.36 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K2.39 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea
Africa
South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Finland, Norway, Portugal
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia