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Pumice vs Pyroxenite


Pyroxenite vs Pumice


Definition

Definition
Pumice is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals   
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine   

History
  
  

Origin
Spain   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Old French pomis, from a Latin dialect variant of pumex   
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Vesicular   
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   

Color
Beige, Colourless, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Pink, White, Yellow- grey   
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Vesicular   
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
As Building Stone, As Facing 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   
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
As an abrasive in skin exfoliating products, In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts   

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   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   

Types

Types
Scoria   
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites   

Features
Host Rock for Lead   
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock   

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   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Aluminum Oxides, Calcite, Carbonate, Iron Oxides, Silica   
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Al, Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6   
7   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Planar   
Uneven   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
White, Greenish White or Grey   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Earthy   
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   

Compressive Strength
51.20 N/mm2   
26
Not Available   

Cleavage
Perfect   
Irregular   

Toughness
3   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.86   
3.2-3.5   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
0.25-0.3 g/cm3   
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.87 kJ/Kg K   
14
Not Available   

Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia   
India, Russia   

Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania   
South Africa   

Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey   
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

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

South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru   
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia   
New Zealand, Queensland   

Definition >>
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Pumice vs Pyroxenite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Pumice and Pyroxenite Reserves. Pumice is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals. Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Pumice vs Pyroxenite information and Pumice vs Pyroxenite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Pumice vs Pyroxenite 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. Pumice vs Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pumice and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Pumice vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Pumice include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Pumice and Pyroxenite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Pumice in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, In landscaping and horticulture, Making natural cement, Production of lightweight concrete blocks and that of Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Pumice and Pyroxenite

Here you can know more about Pumice and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pumice and Pyroxenite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Pumice includes Aluminum Oxides, Calcite, Carbonate, Iron Oxides, Silica and mineral content of Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pumice vs Pyroxenite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Pumice is available in beige, colourless, grey, light green, light grey, pink, white, yellow- grey colors whereas, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Pumice is Vesicular and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pumice vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Pumice is 6 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Pumice are Scoria whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pumice and Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Pumice is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Pyroxenite is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Pumice is impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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