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Pyroxenite and Eclogite


Eclogite and Pyroxenite


Definition

Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine  
Eclogite is an extreme metamorphic rock, formed by regional metamorphism of basalt rock under very high pressure and temperature  

History
  
  

Origin
-  
-  

Discoverer
Unknown  
René Just Haüy  

Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks  
From French, Greek eklogē selection with reference to the selective content of the rock + -ite1  

Class
Igneous Rocks  
Metamorphic Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic  
-  

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic  
Earthy  

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

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
No  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Acid Resistant
Yes  
No  

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny  
Dull, Banded and Foilated  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens  
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

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

Medical Industry
-  
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts  
Artifacts  

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites  
Eclogite  

Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

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.  
Eclogite forms from high-pressure metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks mainly, basalt or gabbro as it plunges into the mantle in a subduction zone.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene  
Amphibole, Coesite, Corundum, Dolomite, Garnet, Kyanite, Lawsonite, Paragonite, Phengite, Pyroxene, Quartz, Rutile, Zoisite  

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide  
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Potassium, Sodium  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
No  

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism  
-  

Weathering
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  
Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion  
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7  
3.5-4  

Grain Size
Coarse Grained  
Fine Grained  

Fracture
Uneven  
-  

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey  
White  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic  
Subvitreous to Dull  

Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2  
22
200.00 N/mm2  
13

Cleavage
-  
Perfect  

Toughness
-  
-  

Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5  
2.86-2.87  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3  
3.2-3.6 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15
0.75 kJ/Kg K  
20

Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  
Heat Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia  
India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey  

Africa
South Africa  
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa  

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey  
France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Scotland  

Others
Greenland  
Greenland  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA  
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA  

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela  
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland  
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland  

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Pyroxenite and Eclogite Properties

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

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