Definition
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz
Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.
Origin
Unknown
Central Europe
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China
From Latin granulum, a little grain or fine grained
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular
Granoblastic
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
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
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Soil Conditioner, Tombstones
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
Clasts are smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Nepheline Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.
Granulite is a fine-grained granular metamorphic rock in which the main component minerals are feldspars and quartz and forms at high temperature and pressure conditions.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, 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, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Not Available
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Vitreous
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6
2.8-3.0
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
3.06-3.33 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
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, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
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
Nepheline Syenite vs Granulite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Nepheline Syenite vs Granulite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Nepheline Syenite and Properties of Granulite. Learn more about Nepheline Syenite vs Granulite in the next section. The interior uses of Nepheline Syenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Granulite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Nepheline Syenite and Granulite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Nepheline Syenite in construction industry include 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 and that of Granulite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls.
More about Nepheline Syenite and Granulite
Here you can know more about Nepheline Syenite and Granulite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Nepheline Syenite and Granulite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Nepheline Syenite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite and mineral content of Granulite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Nepheline Syenite vs Granulite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Granulite is available in black, brown colors. Appearance of Nepheline Syenite is Banded and Foilated and that of Granulite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Nepheline Syenite vs Granulite. The hardness of Nepheline Syenite is 5.5-6 and that of Granulite is 6-7. The types of Nepheline Syenite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite whereas types of Granulite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Nepheline Syenite and Granulite is white. The specific heat capacity of Nepheline Syenite is Not Available and that of Granulite is 0.14 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Nepheline Syenite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Granulite is heat resistant, wear resistant.