Nephelinite

Pyroxenite

Nephelinite and Pyroxenite

Nephelinite

Pyroxenite

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

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

Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Brazil

Unknown

1.2.2 Discoverer

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē

From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Plutonic

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Aphanitic

Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic

2.2 Color

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White

Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Skeletal

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

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

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

4 Types

4.1 Types

Peralkaline Nephelinite

Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites

4.2 Features

Host Rock for Lead

Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

4.3.5 Pictographs

Not Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase

Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene

5.2.2 Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

6.57

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Fine Grained

Coarse Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Flat

Uneven

6.1.4 Streak

White

White, Greenish White or Grey

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Vitreous to Metallic

Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

35.00 N/mm²NA

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Imperfect

Irregular

6.1.9 Toughness

2.7

Not Available

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.4-2.93.2-3.5

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.5-3 g/cm³3.1-3.6 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg KNA

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

Japan

India, Russia

7.1.2 Africa

Rwanda, Tanzania

South Africa

7.1.3 Europe

Not Yet Found

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

7.1.4 Others

Hawaii Islands

Greenland

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

7.2.2 South America

Colombia

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

Not Yet Found

New Zealand, Queensland

All about Nephelinite and Pyroxenite Properties

Know all about Nephelinite and Pyroxenite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nephelinite and Pyroxenite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Nephelinite is Aphanitic whereas that of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic. Nephelinite appears Skeletal and Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic while that of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.