Definition
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
Hawaiite is volcanic rock that resembles basalt. It is an olivine basalt with intermediate composition between alkali olivine and mugearite
Origin
Brazil
Hawaii Islands
Discoverer
Unknown
Joseph Iddings
Etymology
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
From Hawaii Islands
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Skeletal
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, 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, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Creating Artwork, Sea Defence
Types
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean
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.
Hawaiite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes and reach the Earth's surface.
Mineral Content
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
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
Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Not Applicable
Streak
White
Not Available
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Metallic
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Not Applicable
Toughness
2.7
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.4-2.9
Not Available
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.5-3 g/cm3
Not Available
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Rwanda, Tanzania
South Africa
Europe
Not Yet Found
Iceland
Others
Hawaii Islands
Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Nephelinite vs Hawaiite 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 Hawaiite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Nephelinite and Properties of Hawaiite. Learn more about Nephelinite vs Hawaiite in the next section. The interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Hawaiite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Nephelinite and Hawaiite, 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 Hawaiite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Nephelinite and Hawaiite
Here you can know more about Nephelinite and Hawaiite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Nephelinite and Hawaiite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase and mineral content of Hawaiite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Nephelinite vs Hawaiite, 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, Hawaiite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Nephelinite is Skeletal and that of Hawaiite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Nephelinite vs Hawaiite. The hardness of Nephelinite is 6.5 and that of Hawaiite is 6. The types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite whereas types of Hawaiite 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 Hawaiite is not available. The specific heat capacity of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Hawaiite 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 Hawaiite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.