Definition
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
From any intrusive igneous rock, having a majority of carbonate minerals
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic
Granular, Poikiloblastic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Skeletal
Dull, Banded and Foilated
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 Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
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, Unknown, Unknown
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux
Types
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
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
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.
Carbonatites are intrusive or extrusive igneous rocks which are defined by mineralogic composition consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals and are formed due to low degrees of partial melting of rocks.
Mineral Content
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Metallic
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.4-2.9
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.5-3 g/cm3
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Japan
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Rwanda, Tanzania
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Not Yet Found
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Hawaii Islands
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, New Zealand
Nephelinite vs Carbonatite 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 Carbonatite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Nephelinite and Properties of Carbonatite. Learn more about Nephelinite vs Carbonatite in the next section. The interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Carbonatite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Nephelinite and Carbonatite, 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 Carbonatite include 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, Unknown, Unknown.
More about Nephelinite and Carbonatite
Here you can know more about Nephelinite and Carbonatite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Nephelinite and Carbonatite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase and mineral content of Carbonatite includes Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Nephelinite vs Carbonatite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas, Carbonatite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Nephelinite is Skeletal and that of Carbonatite is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Nephelinite vs Carbonatite. The hardness of Nephelinite is 6.5 and that of Carbonatite is 3. The types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite whereas types of Carbonatite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Nephelinite and Carbonatite is white. The specific heat capacity of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Carbonatite is Not Available. 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 Carbonatite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.