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Nepheline Syenite and Coquina


Coquina and Nepheline Syenite


Definition

Definition
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz   
Coquina is a sedimentary rock that is composed either wholly or almost entirely of the transported, abraded, and mechanically-sorted fragments of the shells of molluscs, trilobites, brachiopods, or other invertebrates   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
European Foreland Basins   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China   
From Concha (Latin)+ Coquina(Spanish) +conch(English)= Couquina (mid 19th century)   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Granular   
Clastic   

Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White   
Beige, Buff, Orange   

Maintenance
Less   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Non-Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
No   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Banded and Foilated   
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics   
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   
Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Borolanite and Litchfieldite   
Not Available   

Features
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock   
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest 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   
Present   

Formation

Formation
Nepheline Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.   
Coquina is a sedimentary rock which is formed when billions of small clam-like seashell, called Coquina, or cockleshell are die and hence are deposited, buried and turns into a rock when pressure is applied.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite   
Apatite, Augite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Clay Minerals, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Micas, Muscovite or Illite   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

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, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
1-2   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven   
Irregular   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Greasy to Dull   
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   

Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2   
14
Not Available   

Cleavage
Poor   
Not Available   

Toughness
Not Available   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.6   
1.10-2.24   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6 g/cm3   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam   
Not Yet Found   

Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   
Not Yet Found   

Europe
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden   
United Kingdom   

Others
Greenland   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
USA   

South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia   
Not Yet Found   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Nepheline Syenite and Coquina Properties

Know all about Nepheline Syenite and Coquina properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nepheline Syenite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Coquina belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Nepheline Syenite is Granular whereas that of Coquina is Clastic. Nepheline Syenite appears Banded and Foilated and Coquina appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Nepheline Syenite is greasy to dull while that of Coquina is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Coquina is available in beige, buff, orange colors. The commercial uses of Nepheline Syenite and Coquina are cemetery markers, creating artwork.

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