Picrite

Basanite

Picrite and Basanite

Picrite

Basanite

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Definition

Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine

Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone

History

Origin

Hawaii Islands

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century

From Latin basanites + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Rough

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Shiny

Glassy or Pearly

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Whetstones

Industry

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.

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

As a touchstone, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms

Types

Oceanite

Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

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.

Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.

Composition

Mineral Content

Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite

Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase

Compound Content

Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.87

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Uneven

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White, Greenish White or Grey

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

189.00 N/mm²100.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

2.1

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.75-2.922.5-2.8

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

1.5-2.5 g/cm³2.7 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.74 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

Africa

South Africa

Uganda

Europe

Iceland

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Brazil

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Picrite and Basanite Properties

Know all about Picrite and Basanite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Picrite and Basanite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Picrite is Earthy, Rough whereas that of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Picrite appears Rough and Shiny and Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Picrite is subvitreous to dull while that of Basanite is waxy and dull. Picrite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white 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 Basanite are as a touchstone, creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.