Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Comendite is a hard, peralkaline igneous rock, a type of light blue grey rhyolite
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
Comendite derives its name from the area of Le Commende on San Pietro Island in Italy
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Porphyritic
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Blue, Bluish - Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Foliated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Rhyolite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Very fine grained rock, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Comendite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed due to cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It may form with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Albite, Amphibole, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Al, Fe, Potassium Oxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Pervasive
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
Bluish Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Dull
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
2.38
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
South Africa
East Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Italy
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
-
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Queensland
All about Pyroxenite and Comendite Properties
Know all about Pyroxenite and Comendite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pyroxenite and Comendite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Comendite is Porphyritic. Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Comendite appears Foliated. The luster of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Comendite is dull. Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Comendite is available in blue, bluish - grey colors. The commercial uses of Pyroxenite and Comendite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.