Nephelinite

Amphibolite

Nephelinite vs Amphibolite

Nephelinite

Amphibolite

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Definition

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

Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase

History

Origin

Brazil

Discoverer

Unknown

Alexandre Brongniart

Etymology

from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē

From Amphibole + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic

Banded, Foliated, Massive

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Skeletal

Foliated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, 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, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Peralkaline Nephelinite

Hornblendite

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny

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.

Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase

Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Contact 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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.56-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Flat

Irregular to Conchoidal

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Metallic

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

35.00 N/mm²90.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

2.7

2.3

Specific Gravity

2.4-2.92.5

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.5-3 g/cm³2.85-3.07 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Japan

Russia, Turkey

Africa

Rwanda, Tanzania

Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe

Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland

Others

Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

South Australia, Western Australia

Nephelinite vs Amphibolite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Nephelinite and Amphibolite Reserves. Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).. Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Nephelinite vs Amphibolite information and Nephelinite vs Amphibolite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Nephelinite vs Amphibolite Characteristics

Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Nephelinite vs Amphibolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Nephelinite and Properties of Amphibolite. Learn more about Nephelinite vs Amphibolite in the next section. The interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Amphibolite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Nephelinite and Amphibolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Nephelinite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Amphibolite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Production of glass and ceramics, Roadstone.

More about Nephelinite and Amphibolite

Here you can know more about Nephelinite and Amphibolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Nephelinite and Amphibolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase and mineral content of Amphibolite includes Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Nephelinite vs Amphibolite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Nephelinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas, Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. Appearance of Nephelinite is Skeletal and that of Amphibolite is Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Nephelinite vs Amphibolite. The hardness of Nephelinite is 6.5 and that of Amphibolite is 6-7. The types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite whereas types of Amphibolite are Hornblendite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Nephelinite is white while that of Amphibolite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Amphibolite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Nephelinite is heat resistant whereas Amphibolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.