Pumice

Quartzite

Pumice and Quartzite

Pumice

Quartzite

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Definition

Pumice is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals

Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone

History

Origin

Spain

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Old French pomis, from a Latin dialect variant of pumex

From quartz + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Vesicular

Foliated, Granular

Color

Beige, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Pink, White, Yellow- grey

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Vesicular

Lustrous

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Powder

Curbing

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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

As an abrasive in skin exfoliating products, In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

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, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums

Types

Scoria

Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

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.

Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.

Composition

Mineral Content

Aluminum Oxides, Calcite, Carbonate, Iron Oxides, Silica

Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz

Compound Content

Al, Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

66-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium Grained

Fracture

Planar

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White, Greenish White or Grey

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Earthy

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

51.20 N/mm²115.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Indiscernible

Toughness

1.9

Specific Gravity

2.862.6-2.8

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Transparent to Translucent

Density

0.25-0.3 g/cm³2.32-2.42 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.87 kJ/Kg K0.75 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania

Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Europe

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA

Bahamas, Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

All about Pumice and Quartzite Properties

Know all about Pumice and Quartzite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pumice belongs to Igneous Rocks while Quartzite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Pumice is Vesicular whereas that of Quartzite is Foliated, Granular. Pumice appears Vesicular and Quartzite appears Lustrous. The luster of Pumice is earthy while that of Quartzite is vitreous. Pumice is available in beige, grey, light green, light grey, pink, white, yellow- grey colors whereas Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow 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 Quartzite are an oil and gas reservoir, as armour rock for sea walls, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, in aquifers, laboratory bench tops, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones, used in aquariums.