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Nephelinite and Dunite


Dunite and Nephelinite


Definition

Definition
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).   
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine   

History
  
  

Origin
Brazil   
New Zealand   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Ferdinand von Hochstetter   

Etymology
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē   
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Aphanitic   
Phaneritic   

Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White   
Dark Greenish - Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Skeletal   
Rough and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds   

Types

Types
Peralkaline Nephelinite   
Not Available   

Features
Host Rock for Lead   
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase   
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO   
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6.5   
3.5-4   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Flat   
Irregular   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Vitreous to Metallic   
Shiny   

Compressive Strength
35.00 N/mm2   
29
107.55 N/mm2   
19

Cleavage
Imperfect   
Imperfect   

Toughness
2.7   
2.1   

Specific Gravity
2.4-2.9   
3-3.01   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
2.5-3 g/cm3   
2.84-2.85 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13
1.25 kJ/Kg K   
6

Resistance
Heat Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Japan   
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey   

Africa
Rwanda, Tanzania   
Morocco, South Africa   

Europe
Not Yet Found   
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela   

Others
Hawaii Islands   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Colombia   
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
New Zealand, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Nephelinite and Dunite Properties

Know all about Nephelinite and Dunite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nephelinite and Dunite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Nephelinite is Aphanitic whereas that of Dunite is Phaneritic. Nephelinite appears Skeletal and Dunite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic while that of Dunite is shiny. Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. The commercial uses of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds.

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