Nephelinite

Basanite

Nephelinite and Basanite

Nephelinite

Basanite

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Definition

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

Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone

History

Origin

Brazil

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē

From Latin basanites + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Skeletal

Glassy or Pearly

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

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

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

As a touchstone, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms

Types

Peralkaline Nephelinite

Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone

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.

Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase

Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.57

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Flat

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Metallic

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

35.00 N/mm²100.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

2.7

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.4-2.92.5-2.8

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.5-3 g/cm³2.7 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.74 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Japan

Africa

Rwanda, Tanzania

Uganda

Europe

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain

Others

Hawaii Islands

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Colombia

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Nephelinite and Basanite Properties

Know all about Nephelinite and Basanite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nephelinite and Basanite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Nephelinite is Aphanitic whereas that of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Nephelinite appears Skeletal and Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic while that of Basanite is waxy and dull. Nephelinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Basanite are as a touchstone, creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.