Definition
Peridotite is a dense, coarse-grained plutonic is the main constituent of the earth's mantle
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Origin
Pike County, U.S
USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From French, from peridot + -ite
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Polished
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
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
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
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.
Soapstone is a talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock and it is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich inmagnesium.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Mg, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Imperfect
Perfect
Specific Gravity
3-3.01
2.86
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.4 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
Peridotite vs Soapstone 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 Soapstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Peridotite and Properties of Soapstone. Learn more about Peridotite vs Soapstone in the next section. The interior uses of Peridotite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Peridotite and Soapstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Peridotite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones and that of Soapstone include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Peridotite and Soapstone
Here you can know more about Peridotite and Soapstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Peridotite and Soapstone 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 Soapstone includes Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Peridotite vs Soapstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Peridotite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Peridotite is Rough and Shiny and that of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Peridotite vs Soapstone. The hardness of Peridotite is 5.5-6 and that of Soapstone is 1. The types of Peridotite are Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite and Pyrolite whereas types of Soapstone are Not Available. 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 Soapstone is black. The specific heat capacity of Peridotite is 1.26 kJ/Kg K and that of Soapstone is 0.88 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 Soapstone is heat resistant, pressure resistant.