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Picrite vs Tuff


Tuff vs Picrite


Definition

Definition
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine   
Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption   

History
  
  

Origin
Hawaii Islands   
Italy   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century   
From a Latin word tophous then in Italian tufo and finally tuff   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Volcanic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Earthy, Rough   
Clastic, Pyroclastic   

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

Maintenance
Less   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Rough and Shiny   
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone   

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.   
Building houses or walls, Construction 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   

Types

Types
Oceanite   
Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.   

Features
Host Rock for Lead   
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Tuff is formed when large masses of ash and sand which are mixed with hot gases are ejected by a volcano and avalanche rapidly down its slopes.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite   
Calcite, Chlorite   

Compound Content
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO   
Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact 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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6.8   
4-6   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Uneven   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull   
Vitreous to Dull   

Compressive Strength
189.00 N/mm2   
11
243.80 N/mm2   
5

Cleavage
Imperfect   
Not Available   

Toughness
2.1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.75-2.92   
2.73   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
1.5-2.5 g/cm3   
1-1.8 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13
0.20 kJ/Kg K   
25

Resistance
Heat Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen   

Africa
South Africa   
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda   

Europe
Iceland   
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA   

South America
Brazil   
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

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Picrite vs Tuff Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Picrite and Tuff Reserves. Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine. Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Picrite vs Tuff information and Picrite vs Tuff characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Picrite vs Tuff 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 Tuff characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Picrite and Properties of Tuff. Learn more about Picrite vs Tuff in the next section. The interior uses of Picrite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Tuff include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Picrite and Tuff, 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 Tuff include Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate.

More about Picrite and Tuff

Here you can know more about Picrite and Tuff. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Picrite and Tuff consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Picrite includes Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite and mineral content of Tuff includes Calcite, Chlorite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Picrite vs Tuff, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Picrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas, Tuff is available in brown, grey, yellow colors. Appearance of Picrite is Rough and Shiny and that of Tuff is Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Picrite vs Tuff. The hardness of Picrite is 6.8 and that of Tuff is 4-6. The types of Picrite are Oceanite whereas types of Tuff are Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Picrite and Tuff is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Picrite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K and that of Tuff is 0.20 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 Tuff is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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