Pyroxenite

Picrite

Pyroxenite and Picrite

Pyroxenite

Picrite

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

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

Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Unknown

Hawaii Islands

1.2.2 Discoverer

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

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

From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

1.6 Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic

Earthy, Rough

2.2 Color

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

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow

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

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, 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 a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Roadstone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

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

As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

4 Types

4.1 Types

Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites

Oceanite

4.2 Features

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

Host Rock for Lead

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

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not 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.

Picrite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

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

Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite

5.2.2 Compound Content

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

Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

76.8

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Uneven

6.1.4 Streak

White, Greenish White or Grey

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic

Subvitreous to Dull

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

NA189.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Irregular

Imperfect

6.1.9 Toughness

Not Available

2.1

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

3.2-3.52.75-2.92

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

3.1-3.6 g/cm³1.5-2.5 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

NA0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

India, Russia

7.1.2 Africa

South Africa

7.1.3 Europe

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

Iceland

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

Brazil

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

New Zealand, Queensland

Not Yet Found

All about Pyroxenite and Picrite Properties

Know all about Pyroxenite and Picrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pyroxenite and Picrite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Picrite is Earthy, Rough. Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Picrite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Picrite is subvitreous to dull. Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Picrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Picrite are as a feed additive for livestock, as armour rock for sea walls, metallurgical flux, pottery, source of magnesia (mgo).