Definition
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Origin
Hawaii Islands
Germany
Discoverer
Unknown
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century
From Greek di + base
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Rough
Aphanitic, Granular
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, 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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, 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)
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
-
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
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.
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Compound Content
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
-
Specific Gravity
2.75-2.92
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.5-2.5 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
South Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Iceland
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
-
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Picrite vs Diabase Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Picrite vs Diabase characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Picrite and Properties of Diabase. Learn more about Picrite vs Diabase in the next section. The interior uses of Picrite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Picrite and Diabase, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Picrite in construction industry include 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. and that of Diabase include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Picrite and Diabase
Here you can know more about Picrite and Diabase. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Picrite and Diabase consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Picrite includes Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite and mineral content of Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Picrite vs Diabase, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Picrite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas, Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Picrite is Rough and Shiny and that of Diabase is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Picrite vs Diabase. The hardness of Picrite is 6.8 and that of Diabase is 7. The types of Picrite are Oceanite whereas types of Diabase are Dolerite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Picrite is white, greenish white or grey while that of Diabase is black. The specific heat capacity of Picrite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Diabase is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Picrite is heat resistant whereas Diabase is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.