Definition
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz
A yellow sandstone which is flexible when cut into thin strips
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China
From the name of a mountain range where it was found; Itacolumi mountain in Brazil
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary 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, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
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
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Rough
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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
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
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), 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
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
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.
Itacolumite is a sedimentary rock which forms from cemented sand-sized clasts and is a type of sandstone.
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
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, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse or Fine
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Dull
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
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
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
Nepheline Syenite vs Itacolumite 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 Itacolumite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Nepheline Syenite and Properties of Itacolumite. Learn more about Nepheline Syenite vs Itacolumite in the next section. The interior uses of Nepheline Syenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Itacolumite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Nepheline Syenite and Itacolumite, 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 Itacolumite include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Production of glass and ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Nepheline Syenite and Itacolumite
Here you can know more about Nepheline Syenite and Itacolumite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Nepheline Syenite and Itacolumite 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 Itacolumite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Nepheline Syenite vs Itacolumite, 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, Itacolumite is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Nepheline Syenite is Banded and Foilated and that of Itacolumite is Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Nepheline Syenite vs Itacolumite. The hardness of Nepheline Syenite is 5.5-6 and that of Itacolumite is 6-7. The types of Nepheline Syenite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite whereas types of Itacolumite 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 Itacolumite is white. The specific heat capacity of Nepheline Syenite is Not Available and that of Itacolumite is 0.92 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 Itacolumite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.