Definition
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
Origin
Hawaii Islands
England
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Rough
Brecciated, Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
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, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Oceanite
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
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.
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull to Pearly
Specific Gravity
2.75-2.92
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.5-2.5 g/cm3
0 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa
South Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Iceland
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, New Zealand
All about Picrite and Breccia Properties
Know all about Picrite and Breccia properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Picrite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Breccia belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Picrite is Earthy, Rough whereas that of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic. Picrite appears Rough and Shiny and Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Picrite is subvitreous to dull while that of Breccia is dull to pearly. Picrite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow 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 Breccia are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.