Peridotite and Amphibolite

Peridotite

Amphibolite

Amphibolite and Peridotite

Definition

Peridotite is a dense, coarse-grained plutonic is the main constituent of the earth's mantle

Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase

History

Origin

Pike County, U.S

Unknown

Discoverer

Unknown

Alexandre Brongniart

Etymology

From French, from peridot +‎ -ite

From Amphibole + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Banded, Foliated, Massive

Color

Dark Greenish - Grey

Black, Brown, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Rough and Shiny

Foliated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite and Pyrolite

Hornblendite

Features

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Peridotites can be formed in two ways: as mantle rocks formed during the accretion and differentiation of the Earth or as cumulate rocks formed by precipitation of olivine and pyroxenes from basaltic magmas.

Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite

Compound Content

Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

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

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

6-7

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Irregular to Conchoidal

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Shiny

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

107.55 N/mm²

Not Available

Cleavage

Imperfect

Irregular

Toughness

2.1

2.3

Specific Gravity

3-3.01

2.5

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

3.1-3.4 g/cm³

2.85-3.07 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.26 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Russia, Turkey

Africa

Morocco, South Africa

Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

South Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

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All about Peridotite and Amphibolite Properties

Know all about Peridotite and Amphibolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Peridotite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Peridotite is Phaneritic whereas that of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive. Peridotite appears Rough and Shiny and Amphibolite appears Foliated. The luster of Peridotite is shiny while that of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull. Peridotite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Peridotite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds and that of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.