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
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Origin
USA
Southern Alps, France
Discoverer
Bayley
Dolomieu
Etymology
From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
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, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock
Medical Industry
-
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
Boninite and Jasperoid
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
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
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.
Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Vitreous and Pearly
Specific Gravity
2.6
2.8-3
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.6 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
South Africa
Morocco, Namibia
Europe
Finland, Norway, Portugal
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
Litchfieldite vs Dolomite 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. Litchfieldite vs Dolomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Litchfieldite and Properties of Dolomite. Learn more about Litchfieldite vs Dolomite in the next section. The interior uses of Litchfieldite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Dolomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Litchfieldite and Dolomite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Litchfieldite in construction industry include 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 and that of Dolomite include 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, Production of glass and ceramics, Serves as an oil and gas reservoir rock.
More about Litchfieldite and Dolomite
Here you can know more about Litchfieldite and Dolomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Litchfieldite and Dolomite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Litchfieldite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite and mineral content of Dolomite includes Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Litchfieldite vs Dolomite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Litchfieldite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Dolomite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Litchfieldite is Banded and Foilated and that of Dolomite is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Litchfieldite vs Dolomite. The hardness of Litchfieldite is 5.5-6 and that of Dolomite is 3.5-4. The types of Litchfieldite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite whereas types of Dolomite are Boninite and Jasperoid. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Litchfieldite and Dolomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Litchfieldite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Dolomite 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.Litchfieldite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Dolomite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.