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Nepheline Syenite and Rhyodacite


Rhyodacite and Nepheline Syenite


Definition

Definition
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz   
Rhyodacite is an extrusive volcanic rock intermediate in composition between dacite and rhyolite   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
USA   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China   
Rhyo lite + dacite : a rock intermediate between rhyolite and dacite that is the extrusive equivalent of granodiorite   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Volcanic   

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

Texture

Texture
Granular   
Earthy   

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

Maintenance
Less   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Banded and Foilated   
Skeletal   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

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, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   
Cemetery Markers, 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   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet 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.   
Rhyodacite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite   
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon   

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact 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   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
5.5-6   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Greasy to Dull   
Greasy to Dull   

Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2   
14
200.50 N/mm2   
9

Cleavage
Poor   
Not Available   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.1   

Specific Gravity
2.6   
2.34-2.40   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6 g/cm3   
Not Available   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
1.12 kJ/Kg K   
7

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

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

Europe
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden   
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland   

Others
Greenland   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, 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 Rhyodacite Properties

Know all about Nepheline Syenite and Rhyodacite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nepheline Syenite and Rhyodacite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Nepheline Syenite is Granular whereas that of Rhyodacite is Earthy. Nepheline Syenite appears Banded and Foilated and Rhyodacite appears Skeletal. The luster of Nepheline Syenite and Rhyodacite is greasy to dull. Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Rhyodacite is available in black to grey, dark greenish - grey colors. The commercial uses of Nepheline Syenite and Rhyodacite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.

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