Definition
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine
Appinite is an igneous rock in which the crystals are so fine grained that individual minerals cannot be easily distinguished
Origin
Hawaii Islands
Unknown
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century
From the variety of Lamprophyre Greek lampros bright and shining + porphureos purple
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Rough
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Whetstones
Construction Industry
As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Roadstone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner
Types
Oceanite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Formation
Picrite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
The formation of Appinite takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Conchoidal
Toughness
2.1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.75-2.92
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
1.5-2.5 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Russia
Africa
South Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Iceland
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Picrite and Appinite Properties
Know all about Picrite and Appinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Picrite and Appinite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Picrite is Earthy, Rough whereas that of Appinite is Porphyritic. Picrite appears Rough and Shiny and Appinite appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Picrite and Appinite is subvitreous to dull. Picrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas Appinite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Picrite are as a feed additive for livestock, as armour rock for sea walls, metallurgical flux, pottery, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Appinite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner.