Definition
Minette is a variety of Lamprophyre and is porphyritic alkaline igneous rock which is mainly dominated by biotite and potassic feldspar
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone
Origin
Unknown
Pennines, England
Discoverer
Unknown
J.J. Ferber
Etymology
From French mine ore, mine + ette
From Grit + Stone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Earthy
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Layered and Foliated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
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, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Construction Aggregate, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Types
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite
Not Available
Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Minette formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Gritstone is a type of sedimentary rock which was formed on the floors of wide river deltas where the grit deposits were laid down, with every tide or flood dumping another layer of sediment.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Conchoidal
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.250
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
2.2 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Antarctica, Greenland
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
All about Minette and Gritstone Properties
Know all about Minette and Gritstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Minette belongs to Igneous Rocks while Gritstone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Minette is Porphyritic whereas that of Gritstone is Earthy. Minette appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Gritstone appears Layered and Foliated. The luster of Minette is subvitreous to dull while that of Gritstone is dull. Minette is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors whereas Gritstone is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Minette are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Gritstone are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones.