Definition
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine
Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters
Origin
Hawaii Islands
Italy
Discoverer
Unknown
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
Etymology
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century
From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Rough
Banded
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Fibrous
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, 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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, 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)
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery
Types
Oceanite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
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.
Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO
Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
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, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Splintery
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull to Pearly
Cleavage
Imperfect
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.75-2.92
1.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.5-2.5 g/cm3
2.71 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, Russia
Africa
South Africa
Not Yet Found
Europe
Iceland
Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
All about Picrite and Travertine Properties
Know all about Picrite and Travertine properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Picrite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Travertine belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Picrite is Earthy, Rough whereas that of Travertine is Banded. Picrite appears Rough and Shiny and Travertine appears Fibrous. The luster of Picrite is subvitreous to dull while that of Travertine is dull to pearly. Picrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, 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 Travertine are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, paper industry, pottery.