Definition
Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix
Lamprophyre is uncommon igneous rocks primarily occurring as dikes, lopoliths, laccoliths, stocks and small intrusions
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites
From Greek lampros bright and shining + porphureos purple
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Construction Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Rhomb Porphyry
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
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.
Lamprophyre formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Not Registered
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Cleavage
Imperfect
Conchoidal
Toughness
1.7
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5-4
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.5-2.52 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Russia
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Porphyry and Lamprophyre Properties
Know all about Porphyry and Lamprophyre properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Porphyry and Lamprophyre belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Porphyry is Porphyritic whereas that of Lamprophyre is Porphyritic. Porphyry appears Dull and Lamprophyre appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Porphyry is dull while that of Lamprophyre is subvitreous to dull. Porphyry is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, red, rust, white colors whereas Lamprophyre is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Porphyry are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry and that of Lamprophyre are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).