Nephelinite

Aplite

Nephelinite and Aplite

Nephelinite

Aplite

Add ⊕

Definition

Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).

Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz

History

Origin

Brazil

Iran

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē

From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic

Granular, Graphic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Skeletal

Veined or Pebbled

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

As Dimension Stone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones

Types

Peralkaline Nephelinite

Igneous rock

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Nephelinite 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.

Aplites belong to intrusive igneous rocks which are mostly quart and alkali feldspar and are formed from residual eutectic granitic liquids and represent the final crystallization products of magma.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.56.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Flat

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Metallic

Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous

Compressive Strength

35.00 N/mm²130.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

2.7

Specific Gravity

2.4-2.92.6

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.5-3 g/cm³2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.79 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Japan

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Rwanda, Tanzania

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

Europe

Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic

Others

Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

All about Nephelinite and Aplite Properties

Know all about Nephelinite and Aplite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nephelinite and Aplite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Nephelinite is Aphanitic whereas that of Aplite is Granular, Graphic. Nephelinite appears Skeletal and Aplite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic while that of Aplite is dull to pearly to subvitreous. Nephelinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Aplite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, small sculptures, tombstones.