Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
Discoverer
Unknown
William Smith
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Rounded and Rough
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained 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.
Oolites form when layers of calcite are deposited around a sand grain or fossil piece and are rolled around in calm water, which makes them round.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact 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
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Pearly to Shiny
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
-9999
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
South Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
All about Pyroxenite and Oolite Properties
Know all about Pyroxenite and Oolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pyroxenite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Oolite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Oolite is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Oolite appears Rounded and Rough. The luster of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Oolite is pearly to shiny. Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Oolite are creating artwork, jewelry, used in aquariums.