Definition
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine
Discoverer
Unknown
Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Etymology
From Pelos or clay in Greek
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated
Phaneritic
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Dark Greenish - Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Rough and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Types
Metamorphic rock
Dunite
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.
Mineral Content
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Fibrous
Irregular
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.7
3-3.01
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
0-300 g/cm3
2.84-2.85 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Western Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
-
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Metapelite vs Dunite 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. Metapelite vs Dunite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Metapelite and Properties of Dunite. Learn more about Metapelite vs Dunite in the next section. The interior uses of Metapelite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Dunite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Metapelite and Dunite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Metapelite in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Dunite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Metapelite and Dunite
Here you can know more about Metapelite and Dunite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Metapelite and Dunite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Metapelite includes Albite, Chlorite, Quartz and mineral content of Dunite includes Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Metapelite vs Dunite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors whereas, Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. Appearance of Metapelite is Banded and that of Dunite is Rough and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Metapelite vs Dunite. The hardness of Metapelite is 5-6 and that of Dunite is 3.5-4. The types of Metapelite are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Dunite are Dunite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Metapelite is while that of Dunite is white. The specific heat capacity of Metapelite is 0.72 kJ/Kg K and that of Dunite is 1.25 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Metapelite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Dunite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.