Pyroxenite

Dunite

Pyroxenite and Dunite

Pyroxenite

Dunite

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Unknown

New Zealand

1.2.2 Discoverer

Unknown

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

1.3 Etymology

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

From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Plutonic

1.6 Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic

Phaneritic

2.2 Color

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

Dark Greenish - Grey

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Rough and Shiny

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone

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

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

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

4 Types

4.1 Types

Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites

Not Available

4.2 Features

Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

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

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Not Yet Used

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

Data Not Available

4.3.3 Sculpture

Not Yet Used

Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Not Applicable

Data Not Available

4.3.5 Pictographs

Not Used

Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Not Yet Used

Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene

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

5.2.2 Compound Content

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

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

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

73.5-4

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Coarse Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Uneven

Irregular

6.1.4 Streak

White, Greenish White or Grey

White

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic

Shiny

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

NA107.55 N/mm²

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Irregular

Imperfect

6.1.9 Toughness

Not Available

2.1

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

3.2-3.53-3.01

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

6.1.12 Density

3.1-3.6 g/cm³2.84-2.85 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

NA1.25 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

India, Russia

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

7.1.2 Africa

South Africa

Morocco, South Africa

7.1.3 Europe

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

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

7.1.4 Others

Greenland

Not Yet Found

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

7.2.2 South America

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

New Zealand, Queensland

New Zealand, Western Australia

All about Pyroxenite and Dunite Properties

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