Pyrolite and Ganister

Pyrolite

Ganister

Definition

Pyrolite is an igneous rock consisting of about three parts of peridotite and one part of basalt

A ganister is a hard, fine-grained quartzose sandstone or orthoquartzite which is basically used in the manufacture of silica brick typically used to line furnaces and is a type of sedimentary rocks.

History

Origin

Pike County, U.S

England

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From the chemical and mineralogical composition of the upper mantle of the Earth

From gan′is-ter i.e a hard, close-grained siliceous stone, often forming the stratum which underlies a coal-seam

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Clastic, Granular, Rough

Color

Dark Greenish - Grey

Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Rough and Shiny

Rough

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones

Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones

Types

Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite

Not Available

Features

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Pyrolite 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.

Ganisters are formed by the destruction of easily weathered minerals mainly feldspar, within the surface horizon of soil by soil-forming processes.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz

Compound Content

Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

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

Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

6-7

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Coarse or Fine

Fracture

Irregular

Splintery

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Shiny

Dull

Compressive Strength

107.55 N/mm²

95.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Imperfect

Perfect

Toughness

2.1

2.6

Specific Gravity

3-3.01

2.2-2.8

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

3.1-3.4 g/cm³

2.2-2.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.25 kJ/Kg K

0.92 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan

Africa

Morocco, South Africa

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Pyrolite and Ganister Properties

Know all about Pyrolite and Ganister properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pyrolite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Ganister belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Pyrolite is Phaneritic whereas that of Ganister is Clastic, Granular, Rough. Pyrolite appears Rough and Shiny and Ganister appears Rough. The luster of Pyrolite is shiny while that of Ganister is dull. Pyrolite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Ganister is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Pyrolite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds and that of Ganister are an oil and gas reservoir, in aquifers, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones.