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Peridotite vs Pyroxenite


Pyroxenite vs Peridotite


Definition

Definition
Peridotite is a dense, coarse-grained plutonic is the main constituent of the earth's mantle  
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine  

History
  
  

Origin
Pike County, U.S  
-  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Unknown  

Etymology
From French, from peridot +‎ -ite  
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks  

Class
Igneous Rocks  
Igneous Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic  
Plutonic  

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Phaneritic  
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic  

Color
Dark Greenish - Grey  
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
No  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
No  
Yes  

Acid Resistant
No  
Yes  

Appearance
Rough and Shiny  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens  

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone  

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

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

Medical Industry
-  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines  
Artifacts  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones  

Types

Types
Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite and Pyrolite  
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites  

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

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

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.  
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene  
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene  

Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
Yes  

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

Weathering
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6  
7  

Grain Size
Coarse Grained  
Coarse Grained  

Fracture
Irregular  
Uneven  

Streak
White  
White, Greenish White or Grey  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Shiny  
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic  

Compressive Strength
107.55 N/mm2  
28
150.00 N/mm2  
22

Cleavage
-  
-  

Toughness
2.1  
-  

Specific Gravity
3-3.01  
3.2-3.5  

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
3.1-3.4 g/cm3  
3.1-3.6 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
1.26 kJ/Kg K  
5
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
Morocco, South Africa  
South Africa  

Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey  

Others
-  
Greenland  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA  
Canada, USA  

South America
Brazil  
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia  
New Zealand, Queensland  

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Peridotite vs Pyroxenite 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 Peridotite and Pyroxenite Reserves. Peridotite is a dense, coarse-grained plutonic is the main constituent of the earth's mantle. Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine. 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 Peridotite vs Pyroxenite information and Peridotite vs Pyroxenite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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

More about Peridotite and Pyroxenite

Here you can know more about Peridotite and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Peridotite and Pyroxenite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Peridotite includes Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene 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 Peridotite vs Pyroxenite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Peridotite 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 Peridotite is Rough and Shiny and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Peridotite vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Peridotite is 5.5-6 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Peridotite are Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite and Pyrolite 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 Peridotite is white while that of Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Peridotite is 1.26 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.Peridotite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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