Definition
Pyrolite is an igneous rock consisting of about three parts of peridotite and one part of basalt
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
Origin
Pike County, U.S
Iran
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the chemical and mineralogical composition of the upper mantle of the Earth
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Granular, Graphic
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
As Dimension Stone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
Types
Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite
Igneous rock
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Aplites belong to intrusive igneous rocks which are mostly quart and alkali feldspar and are formed from residual eutectic granitic liquids and represent the final crystallization products of magma.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
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
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Specific Gravity
3-3.01
2.6
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.4 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
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Pyrolite vs Aplite 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 Aplite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyrolite and Properties of Aplite. Learn more about Pyrolite vs Aplite in the next section. The interior uses of Pyrolite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Aplite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyrolite and Aplite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Pyrolite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones and that of Aplite include As dimension stone.
More about Pyrolite and Aplite
Here you can know more about Pyrolite and Aplite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyrolite and Aplite 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 Aplite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyrolite vs Aplite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Pyrolite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Pyrolite is Rough and Shiny and that of Aplite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyrolite vs Aplite. The hardness of Pyrolite is 5.5-6 and that of Aplite is 6.5. The types of Pyrolite are Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite whereas types of Aplite are Igneous rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pyrolite and Aplite is white. The specific heat capacity of Pyrolite is 1.25 kJ/Kg K and that of Aplite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K. 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 Aplite is heat resistant, wear resistant.