Porphyry

Cataclasite

Porphyry and Cataclasite

Porphyry

Cataclasite

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Definition

Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix

Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix

History

Origin

Egypt

Swiss Alps, Europe

Discoverer

Unknown

Michael Tellinger

Etymology

From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites

From the Italian word cataclasi

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Porphyritic

Clastic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White

Brown, Green, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull

Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Construction Aggregate

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Rhomb Porphyry

Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.

Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

Composition

Mineral Content

Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica

Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-73-4

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²50.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

1.7

Specific Gravity

2.5-42.1

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.5-2.52 g/cm³2.9-3.1 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.71 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa

Europe

Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland

England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay

Argentina, Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Porphyry and Cataclasite Properties

Know all about Porphyry and Cataclasite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Porphyry belongs to Igneous Rocks while Cataclasite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Porphyry is Porphyritic whereas that of Cataclasite is Clastic. Porphyry appears Dull and Cataclasite appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Porphyry is dull while that of Cataclasite is vitreous. Porphyry is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, rust, white colors whereas Cataclasite is available in brown, green, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Porphyry are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry and that of Cataclasite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork.