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
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
History
Origin
USA
-
Discoverer
Bayley
Unknown
Etymology
From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular
Foliated, Glassy
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Architecture
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
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
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
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, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
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.
Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.
Composition
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
5.5-65-6
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Irregular
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Pearly to Subvitreous
Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2180.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
-
Specific Gravity
2.62.62-2.82
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.6 g/cm32.7-4 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
-
Africa
South Africa
-
Europe
Finland, Norway, Portugal
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
Canada
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia