Definition
Pumice is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals
  
Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth
  
History
  
  
Origin
Spain
  
Egypt
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Georgius Agricola
  
Etymology
From Old French pomis, from a Latin dialect variant of pumex
  
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Vesicular
  
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
  
Color
Beige, Colourless, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Pink, White, Yellow- grey
  
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Vesicular
  
Dull and Soft
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Powder
  
Curbing, Whetstones
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and horticulture, Making natural cement, Production of lightweight concrete blocks
  
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
As an abrasive in skin exfoliating products, In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, As an abrasive in pencil erasers, Fine abrasive used for polishing, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Used in aquariums
  
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums
  
Types
Scoria
  
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
  
Features
Host Rock for Lead
  
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India
  
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Pumice rock forms when the magma cools so quickly that atoms in the melt are not able to arrange themselves into a crystalline structure.
  
Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Aluminum Oxides, Calcite, Carbonate, Iron Oxides, Silica
  
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
  
Compound Content
Al, Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
  
Contact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Not Available
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6
  
6
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Planar
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Earthy
  
Not Available
  
Compressive Strength
51.20 N/mm2
  
26
37.40 N/mm2
  
28
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
3
  
2.3
  
Specific Gravity
2.86
  
2.8-3
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
0.25-0.3 g/cm3
  
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.87 kJ/Kg K
  
14
0.84 kJ/Kg K
  
15
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
  
India, Russia
  
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
  
South Africa
  
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
  
Iceland
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
  
Not Yet Found
  
All about Pumice and Basalt Properties
Know all about Pumice and Basalt properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pumice and Basalt belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Pumice is Vesicular whereas that of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Pumice appears Vesicular and Basalt appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Pumice is earthy while that of Basalt is not available. Pumice is available in beige, colourless, grey, light green, light grey, pink, white, yellow- grey colors whereas Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Pumice are as a traction material on snow-covered roads, as an abrasive in pencil erasers, fine abrasive used for polishing, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, used in aquariums and that of Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums.