Definition
Migmatite is typically a granitic rock within a metamorphic host rock which is composed of two intermingled but distinguishable components
Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows
Origin
Southern Alps, France
New Zealand
Discoverer
Jakob Sederholm
Patrick Marshall
Etymology
From the Greek word migma which means a mixture
From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite
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
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated
Aphanitic
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Brown- Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Dark Grey to Black
Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Flooring, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Diatexites and Metatexites
Pyroclastic rock
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Migmatites form by high temperature regional and thermal metamorphism of protolith rocks where rocks melt partially due to high temperature.
Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz
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, NaCl
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Uneven
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Vitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.75
2.73
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
1-1.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen
Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
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
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
Others
-
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
Central Australia, Western Australia
Migmatite vs Ignimbrite 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 Ignimbrite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Migmatite and Properties of Ignimbrite. Learn more about Migmatite vs Ignimbrite in the next section. The interior uses of Migmatite include Countertops, Flooring and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Ignimbrite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Migmatite and Ignimbrite, 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 Ignimbrite include Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate.
More about Migmatite and Ignimbrite
Here you can know more about Migmatite and Ignimbrite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Migmatite and Ignimbrite 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 Ignimbrite includes Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Migmatite vs Ignimbrite, 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, Ignimbrite is available in beige, black, brown, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Migmatite is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Ignimbrite is Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Migmatite vs Ignimbrite. The hardness of Migmatite is 5.5-6.5 and that of Ignimbrite is 4-6. The types of Migmatite are Diatexites and Metatexites whereas types of Ignimbrite are Pyroclastic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Migmatite and Ignimbrite is white. The specific heat capacity of Migmatite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Ignimbrite is 0.20 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 Ignimbrite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.