Definition
Pantellerite is a peralkaline rhyolite. It has a higher iron and lower aluminium composition than comendite
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Origin
Strait of sicily
-
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Pantelleria, a volcanic island in the Strait of Sicily
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Eutaxitic
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered and Foliated
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
-
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
-
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Construction Industry
-
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Pantelleritic Ignimbrite
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Features
High Fe content
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Pantellerite 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.
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Feldspar, Ilmenite
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Al, Fe
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
-
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Earthy
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Specific Gravity
-9999
3.2-3.5
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
India, Russia
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria
South Africa
Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Queensland, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Pantellerite vs Pyroxenite 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. Pantellerite vs Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pantellerite and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Pantellerite vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Pantellerite include whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Pantellerite and Pyroxenite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Pantellerite in construction industry include and that of Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Pantellerite and Pyroxenite
Here you can know more about Pantellerite and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pantellerite and Pyroxenite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Pantellerite includes Amphibole, Feldspar, Ilmenite and mineral content of Pyroxenite 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 Pantellerite vs Pyroxenite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Pantellerite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Pantellerite is Layered and Foliated and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pantellerite vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Pantellerite is 6-7 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Pantellerite are Pantelleritic Ignimbrite whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pantellerite is while that of Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Pantellerite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Pyroxenite 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.Pantellerite is heat resistant whereas Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.