Definition
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
From Greek di + base
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic
Aphanitic, Granular
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Skeletal
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
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
Curbing
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
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not 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.
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.
Mineral Content
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
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
Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Metallic
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
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Rwanda, Tanzania
South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Not Yet Found
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Hawaii Islands
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Nephelinite vs Diabase 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 Diabase characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Nephelinite and Properties of Diabase. Learn more about Nephelinite vs Diabase in the next section. The interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Nephelinite and Diabase, 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 Diabase include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Nephelinite and Diabase
Here you can know more about Nephelinite and Diabase. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Nephelinite and Diabase consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase and mineral content of Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Nephelinite vs Diabase, 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, Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Nephelinite is Skeletal and that of Diabase is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Nephelinite vs Diabase. The hardness of Nephelinite is 6.5 and that of Diabase is 7. The types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite whereas types of Diabase are Not Available. 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 Diabase is black. The specific heat capacity of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Diabase 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 Diabase is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.