Definition
Pumice is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals
Pantellerite is a peralkaline rhyolite. It has a higher iron and lower aluminium composition than comendite
Origin
Spain
Strait of sicily
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Old French pomis, from a Latin dialect variant of pumex
From Pantelleria, a volcanic island in the Strait of Sicily
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Vesicular
Eutaxitic
Color
Beige, Colourless, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Pink, White, Yellow- grey
Dark Greenish - Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Vesicular
Layered and Foliated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Not Yet Used
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Not Yet Used
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Powder
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and horticulture, Making natural cement, Production of lightweight concrete blocks
NA
Medical Industry
As an abrasive in skin exfoliating products, In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Sculpture
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
Creating Artwork
Types
Scoria
Pantelleritic Ignimbrite
Features
Host Rock for Lead
High Fe content
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
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.
Pantellerite 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
Aluminum Oxides, Calcite, Carbonate, Iron Oxides, Silica
Amphibole, Feldspar, Ilmenite
Compound Content
Al, Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Al, Fe
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Planar
Sub-conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
Unknown
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Conchoidal
Specific Gravity
2.86
Not Available
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
0.25-0.3 g/cm3
Not Available
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
China, India
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom
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
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, Queensland, Western Australia
All about Pumice and Pantellerite Properties
Know all about Pumice and Pantellerite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pumice and Pantellerite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Pumice is Vesicular whereas that of Pantellerite is Eutaxitic. Pumice appears Vesicular and Pantellerite appears Layered and Foliated. The luster of Pumice and Pantellerite is earthy. Pumice is available in beige, colourless, grey, light green, light grey, pink, white, yellow- grey colors whereas Pantellerite is available in dark greenish - 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 Pantellerite are creating artwork.