Definition
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz
Minette is a variety of Lamprophyre and is porphyritic alkaline igneous rock which is mainly dominated by biotite and potassic feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China
From French mine ore, mine + ette
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular
Porphyritic
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
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, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite
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
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Nepheline Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.
Minette formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
Russia
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Nepheline Syenite vs Minette 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 Minette characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Nepheline Syenite and Properties of Minette. Learn more about Nepheline Syenite vs Minette in the next section. The interior uses of Nepheline Syenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Minette include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Nepheline Syenite and Minette, 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 Minette include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Nepheline Syenite and Minette
Here you can know more about Nepheline Syenite and Minette. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Nepheline Syenite and Minette 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 Minette includes Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Nepheline Syenite vs Minette, 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, Minette is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Nepheline Syenite is Banded and Foilated and that of Minette is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Nepheline Syenite vs Minette. The hardness of Nepheline Syenite is 5.5-6 and that of Minette is 5-6. The types of Nepheline Syenite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite whereas types of Minette are Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Nepheline Syenite and Minette is white. The specific heat capacity of Nepheline Syenite is Not Available and that of Minette is Not Available. 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 Minette is heat resistant, impact resistant.