Nephelinite

Latite

Nephelinite and Latite

Nephelinite

Latite

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Definition

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

Latite is an igneous, volcanic rock, with aphanitic-aphyric to aphyric-porphyritic texture

History

Origin

Brazil

Italy

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē

From the Latin word latium

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Skeletal

Rough

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Metallurgical Flux, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Peralkaline Nephelinite

Rhomb porphyries

Features

Host Rock for Lead

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.

Latite 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase

Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO

CaO, Cl, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.55-5.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Flat

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Metallic

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

35.00 N/mm²310.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

2.7

Specific Gravity

2.4-2.92.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent

Density

2.5-3 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Japan

Africa

Rwanda, Tanzania

Europe

Bulgaria

Others

Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

All about Nephelinite and Latite Properties

Know all about Nephelinite and Latite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nephelinite and Latite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Nephelinite is Aphanitic whereas that of Latite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Nephelinite appears Skeletal and Latite appears Rough. The luster of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic while that of Latite is subvitreous to dull. Nephelinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas Latite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Latite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, metallurgical flux, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).