Definition
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine
Hornblendite is a type of igneous plutonic rock consisting mainly of amphibole hornblende and is a type of Amphibolite rock
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century
From German, Horn horn + blende
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous 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
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Foliated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
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, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Oceanite
Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
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.
Hornblendite 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.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite
Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite
Compound Content
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional 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, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Irregular to Conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Vitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.75-2.92
2.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.5-2.5 g/cm3
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Russia, Turkey
Africa
South Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Europe
Iceland
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
South Australia, Western Australia
All about Picrite and Hornblendite Properties
Know all about Picrite and Hornblendite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Picrite and Hornblendite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Picrite is Earthy, Rough whereas that of Hornblendite is Banded, Foliated, Massive. Picrite appears Rough and Shiny and Hornblendite appears Foliated. The luster of Picrite is subvitreous to dull while that of Hornblendite is vitreous to dull. Picrite and Hornblendite are available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, 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 Hornblendite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.