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Mylonite and Pyroxenite


Pyroxenite and Mylonite


Definition

Definition
Mylonite is a metamorphic rock formed by ductile deformation during intense shearing encountered during folding and faulting, a process termed cataclastic or dynamic metamorphism  
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine  

History
  
  

Origin
New Zealand  
-  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Unknown  

Etymology
From Greek mulōn mill + -ite  
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks  

Class
Metamorphic Rocks  
Igneous Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
-  
Plutonic  

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Foliated  
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic  

Color
Black to Grey  
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
No  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
No  
Yes  

Acid Resistant
No  
Yes  

Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens  

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone  

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone  
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate  

Medical Industry
-  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments  
Artifacts  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones  

Types

Types
Blastomylonites, Ultramylonites and Phyllonites  
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites  

Features
Surfaces are often shiny  
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

Formation
Mylonites are ductilely deformed rocks formed by the accumulation of large shear strain, in ductile fault zones.   
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Porphyroblasts  
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene  

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Calcium Sulfate, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, Silicon Dioxide  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No  
Yes  

Types of Metamorphism
-  
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism  

Weathering
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-4  
7  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
Coarse Grained  

Fracture
Conchoidal  
Uneven  

Streak
White  
White, Greenish White or Grey  

Porosity
Highly Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Shiny  
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic  

Compressive Strength
1.28 N/mm2  
99+
150.00 N/mm2  
22

Cleavage
Conchoidal  
-  

Toughness
-  
-  

Specific Gravity
2.97-3.05  
3.2-3.5  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.6-4.8 g/cm3  
3.1-3.6 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
1.50 kJ/Kg K  
3
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea  
India, Russia  

Africa
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa  
South Africa  

Europe
England, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey  

Others
-  
Greenland  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA  
Canada, USA  

South America
-  
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia  
New Zealand, Queensland  

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Mylonite and Pyroxenite Properties

Know all about Mylonite and Pyroxenite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Mylonite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Pyroxenite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Mylonite is Foliated whereas that of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic. Mylonite appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Mylonite is shiny while that of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Mylonite is available in black to grey colors whereas Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Mylonite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry and that of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.

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