Definition
Pyrolite is an igneous rock consisting of about three parts of peridotite and one part of basalt
  
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase
  
History
  
  
Origin
Pike County, U.S
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Alexandre Brongniart
  
Etymology
From the chemical and mineralogical composition of the upper mantle of the Earth
  
From Amphibole + -ite
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Metamorphic 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, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Phaneritic
  
Banded, Foliated, Massive
  
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
  
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
  
Foliated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
  
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite
  
Hornblendite
  
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
  
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite
  
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical 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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5.5-6
  
6-7
  
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
  
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Irregular
  
Irregular to Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Shiny
  
Vitreous to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
107.55 N/mm
2
  
19
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Imperfect
  
Irregular
  
Toughness
2.1
  
2.3
  
Specific Gravity
3-3.01
  
2.5
  
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
3.1-3.4 g/cm3
  
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
1.25 kJ/Kg K
  
6
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
  
Russia, Turkey
  
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
  
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
  
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
  
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
  
South Australia, Western Australia
  
Pyrolite vs Amphibolite 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. Pyrolite vs Amphibolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyrolite and Properties of Amphibolite. Learn more about Pyrolite vs Amphibolite in the next section. The interior uses of Pyrolite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Amphibolite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyrolite and Amphibolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Pyrolite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones and that of Amphibolite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Production of glass and ceramics, Roadstone.
More about Pyrolite and Amphibolite
Here you can know more about Pyrolite and Amphibolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyrolite and Amphibolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Pyrolite includes Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Amphibolite includes Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyrolite vs Amphibolite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Pyrolite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. Appearance of Pyrolite is Rough and Shiny and that of Amphibolite is Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyrolite vs Amphibolite. The hardness of Pyrolite is 5.5-6 and that of Amphibolite is 6-7. The types of Pyrolite are Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite whereas types of Amphibolite are Hornblendite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pyrolite is white while that of Amphibolite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Pyrolite is 1.25 kJ/Kg K and that of Amphibolite is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Pyrolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Amphibolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.