Pegmatite and Tuff

Pegmatite

Tuff

Tuff and Pegmatite

Definition

Pegmatite rock is a holocrystalline, intrusive igneous rock which is composed of interlocking phaneritic crystals

Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption

History

Origin

Unknown

Italy

Discoverer

R. J. Hauy

Unknown

Etymology

From Greek pegma, pegmat which means- thing joined together + -ite

From a Latin word tophous then in Italian tufo and finally tuff

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Pegmatitic

Clastic, Pyroclastic

Color

Black, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow

Brown, Grey, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Dull, Vesicular and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz

Creating Artwork

Types

Granite Pegmatite, Gabbro Pegmatite and Diorite Pegmatite

Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Not Yet Used

Used

Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Pegmatite rock is holocrystalline, intrusive igneous rock which is formed by partial melting and dewatering during the process of metamorphism.

Tuff is formed when large masses of ash and sand which are mixed with hot gases are ejected by a volcano and avalanche rapidly down its slopes.

Composition

Mineral Content

Apatite, Beryl, Feldspar, Fluorite, Garnet, Lepidolite, Quartz, Silica, Spodumene, Topaz

Calcite, Chlorite

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, Phosphorus Pentoxide

Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

4-6

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

178.54 N/mm²

243.80 N/mm²

Cleavage

Perfect

Not Available

Toughness

2.1

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.63

2.73

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.6-2.65 g/cm³

1-1.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

0.20 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Japan, Nepal, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Africa

South Africa

Cameroon, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda

Europe

Austria, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine

France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Antarctica, Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada

Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA

South America

Brazil

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Pegmatite and Tuff Properties

Know all about Pegmatite and Tuff properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pegmatite and Tuff belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Pegmatite is Pegmatitic whereas that of Tuff is Clastic, Pyroclastic. Pegmatite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Tuff appears Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Pegmatite is grainy, pearly and vitreous while that of Tuff is vitreous to dull. Pegmatite and Tuff are available in black, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, rust, silver, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Pegmatite and Tuff are creating artwork, jewelry, source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz.