Definition
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
Granodiorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock containing quartz and plagioclase, and which has composition in between granite and diorite
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
From granite + diorite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic
Granular, Phaneritic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Skeletal
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones
Types
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
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.
Granodiorite is an intrusive igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks.
Mineral Content
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
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
Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Flat
Not Available
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Metallic
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous
Cleavage
Imperfect
Not Available
Toughness
2.7
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.4-2.9
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.5-3 g/cm3
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Japan
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Rwanda, Tanzania
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Not Yet Found
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
Others
Hawaii Islands
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Nephelinite vs Granodiorite 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 Granodiorite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Nephelinite and Properties of Granodiorite. Learn more about Nephelinite vs Granodiorite in the next section. The interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Granodiorite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Nephelinite and Granodiorite, 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 Granodiorite include As dimension stone.
More about Nephelinite and Granodiorite
Here you can know more about Nephelinite and Granodiorite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Nephelinite and Granodiorite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase and mineral content of Granodiorite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Nephelinite vs Granodiorite, 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, Granodiorite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Nephelinite is Skeletal and that of Granodiorite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Nephelinite vs Granodiorite. The hardness of Nephelinite is 6.5 and that of Granodiorite is 6. The types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite whereas types of Granodiorite 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 Granodiorite is white. The specific heat capacity of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Granodiorite is 0.79 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 Granodiorite is heat resistant, wear resistant.