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Pyroxenite and Amphibolite


Amphibolite and Pyroxenite


Definition

Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine   
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase   

History
  
  

Discoverer
Unknown   
Alexandre Brongniart   

Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks   
From Amphibole + -ite   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard 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

Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   
Banded, Foliated, Massive   

Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey   
Black, Brown, Green, Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Foliated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
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   
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites   
Hornblendite   

Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock   
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.   
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, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   
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, 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, Water Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
6-7   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Medium to Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Irregular to Conchoidal   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
White to Grey   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   
Vitreous to Dull   

Cleavage
Irregular   
Irregular   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.3   

Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5   
2.5   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   
2.85-3.07 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
Russia, Turkey   

Africa
South Africa   
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda   

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland   

Others
Greenland   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland   
South Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Pyroxenite and Amphibolite Properties

Know all about Pyroxenite and Amphibolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pyroxenite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive. Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Amphibolite appears Foliated. The luster of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull. Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.

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