Porphyry

Shoshonite

Porphyry and Shoshonite

Porphyry

Shoshonite

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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

Shoshonite is a basaltic rock, properly a potassic trachyandesite, composed of olivine, augite and plagioclase phenocrysts in a groundmass with calcic plagioclase and sanidine and some dark-colored volcanic glass

History

Origin

Egypt

Wyoming,USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Iddings

Etymology

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

From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Porphyritic

Color

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

Brown- Black, Dark Brown

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Construction Aggregate

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Rhomb Porphyry

Intermediate volcanic rock

Features

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

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

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.

Shoshonite 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Pyroxene

Compound Content

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

Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-76

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Uneven

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²175.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.7

1.6

Specific Gravity

2.5-42.98

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.5-2.52 g/cm³2.9-3 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.71 kJ/Kg K0.79 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

India, Russia

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa

South Africa

Europe

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

Iceland

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

All about Porphyry and Shoshonite Properties

Know all about Porphyry and Shoshonite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Porphyry and Shoshonite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Porphyry is Porphyritic whereas that of Shoshonite is Porphyritic. Porphyry appears Dull and Shoshonite appears Dull. The luster of Porphyry and Shoshonite is dull. Porphyry is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, rust, white colors whereas Shoshonite is available in brown- black, dark brown colors. The commercial uses of Porphyry are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry and that of Shoshonite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.