Norite

Diorite

Norite vs Diorite

Norite

Diorite

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Definition

Norite is a mafic intrusive igneous rock composed largely of the calcium-rich plagioclase labradorite, orthopyroxene, and olivine

Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene

History

Origin

Norway

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From the Norwegian name for Norway, Norge

From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Color

Dark Grey to Black

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Veined and Shiny

Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

Creating Artwork, Curling

Types

Ultramafic intrusive rock

Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite

Features

Smooth to touch

Typically speckled black and white.

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Norite 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.

Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock which contains large interlocking and randomly oriented crystals and forms when molten lava does not reach the Earth’s surface and cools down in the Earth’s crust.

Composition

Mineral Content

Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

76-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

Black

Bluish Black

Porosity

Highly Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Shiny

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.6

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.86-2.872.8-3

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.7-3.3 g/cm³2.8-3 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.52 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

Africa

South Africa

Egypt

Europe

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland

New Zealand, Western Australia

Norite vs Diorite 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 Norite and Diorite Reserves. Norite is a mafic intrusive igneous rock composed largely of the calcium-rich plagioclase labradorite, orthopyroxene, and olivine. Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene. 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 Norite vs Diorite information and Norite vs Diorite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Norite vs Diorite 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. Norite vs Diorite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Norite and Properties of Diorite. Learn more about Norite vs Diorite in the next section. The interior uses of Norite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diorite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Norite and Diorite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Norite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Diorite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Norite and Diorite

Here you can know more about Norite and Diorite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Norite and Diorite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Norite includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Diorite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Norite vs Diorite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Norite is available in dark grey to black colors whereas, Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors. Appearance of Norite is Veined and Shiny and that of Diorite is Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Norite vs Diorite. The hardness of Norite is 7 and that of Diorite is 6-7. The types of Norite are Ultramafic intrusive rock whereas types of Diorite are Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Norite is black while that of Diorite is bluish black. The specific heat capacity of Norite is 0.52 kJ/Kg K and that of Diorite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Norite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Diorite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.