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Nepheline Syenite and Diabase


Diabase and Nepheline Syenite


Definition

Definition
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz   
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Germany   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Christian Leopold von Buch   

Etymology
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China   
From Greek di + base   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Volcanic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Granular   
Aphanitic, Granular   

Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White   
Dark Grey to Black   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Banded and Foilated   
Vesicular   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, 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   
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road 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   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   

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   
Smooth to touch   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

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.   
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite   
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine   

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

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

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
7   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine to Medium Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Greasy to Dull   
Not Available   

Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2   
14
225.00 N/mm2   
7

Cleavage
Poor   
Not Available   

Toughness
Not Available   
1.6   

Specific Gravity
2.6   
2.86-2.87   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6 g/cm3   
2.7-3.3 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   
India   

Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   
South Africa, Tanzania   

Europe
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden   
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   

Others
Greenland   
Antarctica, Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela   
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia   
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Nepheline Syenite and Diabase Properties

Know all about Nepheline Syenite and Diabase properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nepheline Syenite and Diabase belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Nepheline Syenite is Granular whereas that of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular. Nepheline Syenite appears Banded and Foilated and Diabase appears Vesicular. The luster of Nepheline Syenite is greasy to dull while that of Diabase is not available. Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Nepheline Syenite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Diabase are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.

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