Nephelinite and Greenschist

Nephelinite

Greenschist

Definition

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

Greenschist is a metamorphic rock that is formed under lowest temperatures and pressures and is usually produced by regional metamorphism

History

Origin

Brazil

Unknown

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē

From minerals such as chlorite, serpentine, and epidote, and platy minerals such as muscovite and platy serpentine which are green in color

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic

Foliated, Platy

Color

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White

Dark Greenish - Grey, Green

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Skeletal

Layered and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Blackboards, Manufacture of tools, Writing Slates

Types

Peralkaline Nephelinite

Not Available

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

Pictographs

Not Used

Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

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.

Greenschist is medium grade metamorphic rock, formed by the metamorphosis of mudstone or shale, or some types of igneous rock, when it is subjected to higher temperatures and pressures.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase

Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Serpentine, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.5

3.5-4

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Flat

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Metallic

Shiny

Compressive Strength

35.00 N/mm²

Not Available

Cleavage

Imperfect

Slaty

Toughness

2.7

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.4-2.9

2.5-2.9

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.5-3 g/cm³

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Japan

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Rwanda, Tanzania

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Not Yet Found

Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Others

Hawaii Islands

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

South America

Colombia

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Nephelinite and Greenschist Properties

Know all about Nephelinite and Greenschist properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nephelinite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Greenschist belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Nephelinite is Aphanitic whereas that of Greenschist is Foliated, Platy. Nephelinite appears Skeletal and Greenschist appears Layered and Shiny. The luster of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic while that of Greenschist is shiny. Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas Greenschist is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. The commercial uses of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Greenschist are blackboards, manufacture of tools, writing slates.