Definition
Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix
Icelandite belongs to volcanic igneous rocks which is rich in iron and belongs to andesite rock
Discoverer
Unknown
Ian S. E. Carmichael
Etymology
From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites
From its origin place near Cenozoic volcano near the parsonage Þingmúli in East Iceland
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, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Construction Aggregate
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Rhomb Porphyry
Not Available
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not 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.
Icelandite 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.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Not Registered
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Irregular
Uneven
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Imperfect
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5-4
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.5-2.52 g/cm3
2.11-2.36 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA
Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Porphyry vs Icelandite 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. Porphyry vs Icelandite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Porphyry and Properties of Icelandite. Learn more about Porphyry vs Icelandite in the next section. The interior uses of Porphyry include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Icelandite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Porphyry and Icelandite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Porphyry in construction industry include Construction aggregate and that of Icelandite include Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Porphyry and Icelandite
Here you can know more about Porphyry and Icelandite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Porphyry and Icelandite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Porphyry includes Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica and mineral content of Icelandite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Porphyry vs Icelandite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Porphyry is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, red, rust, white colors whereas, Icelandite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors. Appearance of Porphyry is Dull and that of Icelandite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Porphyry vs Icelandite. The hardness of Porphyry is 6-7 and that of Icelandite is 7. The types of Porphyry are Rhomb Porphyry whereas types of Icelandite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Porphyry and Icelandite is white. The specific heat capacity of Porphyry is Not Available and that of Icelandite is 2.39 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Porphyry is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Icelandite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant.