Definition
Minette is a variety of Lamprophyre and is porphyritic alkaline igneous rock which is mainly dominated by biotite and potassic feldspar
  
An iron rich extrusive rock found as a member of the alkali basalt magma series
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
Isle of Mull, Scotland
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Ben More
  
Etymology
From French mine ore, mine + ette
  
From the name of discoverer, Ben More
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Porphyritic
  
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular
  
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
  
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
  
Rough and Dull
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
  
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
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)
  
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
  
Types
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite
  
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt
  
Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
  
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Minette formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
  
Benmoreite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
  
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase
  
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, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5-6
  
6
  
Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
Black
  
Porosity
Very Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Earthy
  
Compressive Strength
Not Available
  
37.40 N/mm
2
  
28
Cleavage
Conchoidal
  
Perfect
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
2.3
  
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
  
2.8-3
  
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
  
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.84 kJ/Kg K
  
15
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Russia
  
India, Russia
  
Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
  
South Africa
  
Europe
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
  
Iceland
  
Others
Antarctica, Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
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
  
Not Yet Found
  
Minette vs Benmoreite 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. Minette vs Benmoreite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Minette and Properties of Benmoreite. Learn more about Minette vs Benmoreite in the next section. The interior uses of Minette include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Benmoreite include Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Minette and Benmoreite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Minette in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Benmoreite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Minette and Benmoreite
Here you can know more about Minette and Benmoreite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Minette and Benmoreite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Minette includes Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene and mineral content of Benmoreite includes Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Minette vs Benmoreite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Minette is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors whereas, Benmoreite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Minette is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Benmoreite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Minette vs Benmoreite. The hardness of Minette is 5-6 and that of Benmoreite is 6. The types of Minette are Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite whereas types of Benmoreite are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Minette is white while that of Benmoreite is black. The specific heat capacity of Minette is Not Available and that of Benmoreite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Minette is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Benmoreite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.