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Nepheline Syenite and Ganister


Ganister and Nepheline Syenite


Definition

Definition
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz   
A ganister is a hard, fine-grained quartzose sandstone or orthoquartzite which is basically used in the manufacture of silica brick typically used to line furnaces and is a type of sedimentary rocks.   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
England   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China   
From gan′is-ter i.e a hard, close-grained siliceous stone, often forming the stratum which underlies a coal-seam   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Granular   
Clastic, Granular, Rough   

Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White   
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow   

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   
No   

Appearance
Banded and Foilated   
Rough   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

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   
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar   

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, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), 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   
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, 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   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not 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.   
Ganisters are formed by the destruction of easily weathered minerals mainly feldspar, within the surface horizon of soil by soil-forming processes.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite   
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz   

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

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   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion   
Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
6-7   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Coarse or Fine   

Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven   
Splintery   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Greasy to Dull   
Dull   

Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2   
14
95.00 N/mm2   
20

Cleavage
Poor   
Perfect   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.6   

Specific Gravity
2.6   
2.2-2.8   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6 g/cm3   
2.2-2.8 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam   
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan   

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

Europe
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden   
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom   

Others
Greenland   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

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

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Nepheline Syenite and Ganister Properties

Know all about Nepheline Syenite and Ganister 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 Ganister belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Nepheline Syenite is Granular whereas that of Ganister is Clastic, Granular, Rough. Nepheline Syenite appears Banded and Foilated and Ganister appears Rough. The luster of Nepheline Syenite is greasy to dull while that of Ganister is dull. Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Ganister 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 Nepheline Syenite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Ganister are an oil and gas reservoir, in aquifers, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones.

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