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Nephelinite vs Websterite


Websterite vs Nephelinite


Definition

Definition
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).  
Websterite is ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that consists of roughly equal proportions of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene. It is a special type of pyroxenite.  

History
  
  

Origin
Brazil  
Webster, North Carolina  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Unknown  

Etymology
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē  
From the town of Webster located in North Carolina  

Class
Igneous Rocks  
Igneous Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic  
Plutonic  

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Aphanitic  
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic  

Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White  
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Acid Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Appearance
Skeletal  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration  

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

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
-  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines  
Artifacts  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones  

Types

Types
Peralkaline Nephelinite  
Ultramafic rock  

Features
Host Rock for Lead  
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

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.  
Websterite can be formed as cumulates in ultramafic intrusions by accumulation of pyroxene crystals at the base of the lava chamber.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase  
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene  

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  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism  
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism  

Weathering
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6.5  
7  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
Coarse Grained  

Fracture
Flat  
Uneven  

Streak
White  
White, Greenish White or Grey  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Vitreous to Metallic  
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic  

Compressive Strength
35.00 N/mm2  
99+
95.00 N/mm2  
30

Cleavage
-  
-  

Toughness
2.7  
-  

Specific Gravity
2.4-2.9  
3.2-3.5  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.5-3 g/cm3  
3.1-3.6 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K  
13
0.79 kJ/Kg K  
17

Resistance
Heat Resistant  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Japan  
India, Russia  

Africa
Rwanda, Tanzania  
South Africa  

Europe
-  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey  

Others
Hawaii Islands  
Greenland  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA  
Canada, USA  

South America
Colombia  
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
-  
New Zealand, Queensland  

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Nephelinite vs Websterite 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 Websterite Reserves. Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).. Websterite is ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that consists of roughly equal proportions of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene. It is a special type of pyroxenite.. 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 Websterite information and Nephelinite vs Websterite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Nephelinite vs Websterite 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 Websterite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Nephelinite and Properties of Websterite. Learn more about Nephelinite vs Websterite in the next section. The interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Websterite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Nephelinite and Websterite, 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 Websterite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Nephelinite and Websterite

Here you can know more about Nephelinite and Websterite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Nephelinite and Websterite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase and mineral content of Websterite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Nephelinite vs Websterite, 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, Websterite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Nephelinite is Skeletal and that of Websterite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Nephelinite vs Websterite. The hardness of Nephelinite is 6.5 and that of Websterite is 7. The types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite whereas types of Websterite are Ultramafic rock. 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 Websterite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Websterite 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 Websterite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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