Definition
Migmatite is typically a granitic rock within a metamorphic host rock which is composed of two intermingled but distinguishable components
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine
Origin
Southern Alps, France
New Zealand
Discoverer
Jakob Sederholm
Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Etymology
From the Greek word migma which means a mixture
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
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Brown- Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Dark Grey to Black
Dark Greenish - Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Rough and Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Flooring, Kitchens
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
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
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
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Types
Diatexites and Metatexites
Dunite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest 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
Migmatites form by high temperature regional and thermal metamorphism of protolith rocks where rocks melt partially due to high temperature.
Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional 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, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Irregular
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Shiny
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.75
3-3.01
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.84-2.85 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
Morocco, South Africa
Europe
Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
New Zealand, Western Australia
Migmatite 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. Migmatite vs Dunite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Migmatite and Properties of Dunite. Learn more about Migmatite vs Dunite in the next section. The interior uses of Migmatite include Countertops, Flooring and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Dunite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Migmatite and Dunite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Migmatite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement 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 Migmatite and Dunite
Here you can know more about Migmatite and Dunite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Migmatite and Dunite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Migmatite includes Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon 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 Migmatite vs Dunite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Migmatite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, brown- black, dark greenish - grey, dark grey to black colors whereas, Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. Appearance of Migmatite is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Dunite is Rough and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Migmatite vs Dunite. The hardness of Migmatite is 5.5-6.5 and that of Dunite is 3.5-4. The types of Migmatite are Diatexites and Metatexites 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 Migmatite and Dunite is white. The specific heat capacity of Migmatite is 0.79 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.Migmatite is heat resistant, pressure resistant whereas Dunite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.