Picrite

Variolite

Picrite and Variolite

Picrite

Variolite

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Definition

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

Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance

History

Origin

Hawaii Islands

France

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century

From Latin varius, speckled, variegated

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Rough

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular

Color

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

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Shiny

Dull and Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

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

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

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, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

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

Types

Oceanite

Metamorphic rock

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

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.

Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.

Composition

Mineral Content

Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite

Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological 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

6.86

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Uneven

Conchoidal

Streak

White, Greenish White or Grey

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

189.00 N/mm²37.50 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

2.1

2.3

Specific Gravity

2.75-2.922.8-3

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

1.5-2.5 g/cm³2.9-3.1 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

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Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

Africa

South Africa

Europe

Iceland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

All about Picrite and Variolite Properties

Know all about Picrite and Variolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Picrite and Variolite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Picrite is Earthy, Rough whereas that of Variolite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Picrite appears Rough and Shiny and Variolite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Picrite is subvitreous to dull while that of Variolite is . Picrite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey 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 Variolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.