Definition
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine
  
Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene
  
History
  
  
Origin
Hawaii Islands
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century
  
From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Earthy, Rough
  
Phaneritic
  
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow
  
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
  
Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
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.
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
  
Creating Artwork, Curling
  
Types
Oceanite
  
Not Available
  
Features
Host Rock for Lead
  
Typically speckled black and white.
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
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.
  
Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock which contains large interlocking and randomly oriented crystals and forms when molten lava does not reach the Earth’s surface and cools down in the Earth’s crust.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite
  
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
  
Compound Content
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO
  
Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6.8
  
6-7
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Uneven
  
Not Available
  
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
Bluish Black
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Very Less Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Shiny
  
Compressive Strength
189.00 N/mm2
  
11
225.00 N/mm2
  
7
Cleavage
Imperfect
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
2.1
  
2.1
  
Specific Gravity
2.75-2.92
  
2.8-3
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
1.5-2.5 g/cm3
  
2.8-3 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K
  
13
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
India, Russia
  
Not Yet Found
  
Africa
South Africa
  
Egypt
  
Europe
Iceland
  
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Not Yet Found
  
New Zealand, Western Australia
  
All about Picrite and Diorite Properties
Know all about Picrite and Diorite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Picrite and Diorite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Picrite is Earthy, Rough whereas that of Diorite is Phaneritic. Picrite appears Rough and Shiny and Diorite appears Shiny. The luster of Picrite is subvitreous to dull while that of Diorite is shiny. Picrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, 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 Diorite are creating artwork, curling.