Definition
Migmatite is typically a granitic rock within a metamorphic host rock which is composed of two intermingled but distinguishable components
Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix
Origin
Southern Alps, France
Egypt
Discoverer
Jakob Sederholm
Unknown
Etymology
From the Greek word migma which means a mixture
From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Brown- Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Dark Grey to Black
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Dull
Interior Uses
Countertops, Flooring, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
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
Construction Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Diatexites and Metatexites
Rhomb Porphyry
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Migmatites form by high temperature regional and thermal metamorphism of protolith rocks where rocks melt partially due to high temperature.
Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Irregular
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Dull
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.75
2.5-4
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.5-2.52 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, 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, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Migmatite vs Porphyry 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 Porphyry characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Migmatite and Properties of Porphyry. Learn more about Migmatite vs Porphyry in the next section. The interior uses of Migmatite include Countertops, Flooring and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Porphyry include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Migmatite and Porphyry, 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 Porphyry include Construction aggregate.
More about Migmatite and Porphyry
Here you can know more about Migmatite and Porphyry. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Migmatite and Porphyry 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 Porphyry includes Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Migmatite vs Porphyry, 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, Porphyry is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, rust, white colors. Appearance of Migmatite is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Porphyry is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Migmatite vs Porphyry. The hardness of Migmatite is 5.5-6.5 and that of Porphyry is 6-7. The types of Migmatite are Diatexites and Metatexites whereas types of Porphyry are Rhomb Porphyry. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Migmatite and Porphyry is white. The specific heat capacity of Migmatite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Porphyry is 0.71 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 Porphyry is heat resistant, impact resistant.