Nepheline Syenite

Rhyolite

Nepheline Syenite and Rhyolite

Nepheline Syenite

Rhyolite

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Definition

Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz

Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica

History

Origin

North America

Discoverer

Unknown

Ferdinand von Richthofen

Etymology

From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China

From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular

Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic

Color

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Grey, White, Light Black

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

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

Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry

Types

Borolanite and Litchfieldite

Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.

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

Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Nepheline Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.

Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.

Composition

Mineral Content

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

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, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-66-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Large and Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Sub-conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Greasy to Dull

Earthy

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²140.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.62.65-2.67

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.6 g/cm³2.4-2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.71 kJ/Kg K0.71 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

China, India

Africa

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

Europe

Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

All about Nepheline Syenite and Rhyolite Properties

Know all about Nepheline Syenite and Rhyolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nepheline Syenite and Rhyolite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Nepheline Syenite is Granular whereas that of Rhyolite is Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic. Nepheline Syenite appears Banded and Foilated and Rhyolite appears Banded. The luster of Nepheline Syenite is greasy to dull while that of Rhyolite is earthy. Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors. The commercial uses of Nepheline Syenite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Rhyolite are gemstone, laboratory bench tops, jewelry.