Definition
Peridotite is a dense, coarse-grained plutonic is the main constituent of the earth's mantle
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Origin
Pike County, U.S
USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From French, from peridot + -ite
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Quench
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite and Pyrolite
Not Available
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Irregular
Uneven
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Imperfect
Irregular
Toughness
2.1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
3-3.01
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
3.1-3.4 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
South Korea
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
Great Britain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Brazil
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Peridotite and Pseudotachylite Properties
Know all about Peridotite and Pseudotachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Peridotite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Peridotite is Phaneritic whereas that of Pseudotachylite is Quench. Peridotite appears Rough and Shiny and Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Peridotite is shiny while that of Pseudotachylite is vitreous. Peridotite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Peridotite and Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds.