Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Pumice is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
From Old French pomis, from a Latin dialect variant of pumex
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous 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
Vesicular
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Beige, Colourless, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Pink, White, Yellow- grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Powder
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and horticulture, Making natural cement, Production of lightweight concrete blocks
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
As an abrasive in skin exfoliating products, In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, As an abrasive in pencil erasers, Fine abrasive used for polishing, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Used in aquariums
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Scoria
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
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.
Pumice rock forms when the magma cools so quickly that atoms in the melt are not able to arrange themselves into a crystalline structure.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Aluminum Oxides, Calcite, Carbonate, Iron Oxides, Silica
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Al, Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact 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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Earthy
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Irregular
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
3
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
0.25-0.3 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
South Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand, Western Australia
All about Pyroxenite and Pumice Properties
Know all about Pyroxenite and Pumice properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pyroxenite and Pumice belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Pumice is Vesicular. Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Pumice appears Vesicular. The luster of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Pumice is earthy. Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Pumice is available in beige, colourless, grey, light green, light grey, pink, white, yellow- grey colors. The commercial uses of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Pumice are as a traction material on snow-covered roads, as an abrasive in pencil erasers, fine abrasive used for polishing, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, used in aquariums.