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Pyroxenite and Theralite


Theralite and Pyroxenite


Definition

Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine   
Theralite is a plutonic hylocrystalline igneous rock consisting of augite, olivine, calcic plagioclase and nepheline   

History
  
  

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

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

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Plutonic   

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

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   
Phaneritic   

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

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Veined and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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, Office Buildings   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

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

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites   
Teschenite and Essexite   

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

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

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.   
Theralite 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.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

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

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
7   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   
Waxy and Dull   

Cleavage
Irregular   
Non-Existent   

Toughness
Not Available   
1.5   

Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5   
2.5-2.8   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   
2.7 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.74 kJ/Kg K   
19

Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
India, Russia   

Africa
South Africa   
South Africa   

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   

Others
Greenland   
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland   
New Zealand, Queensland   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Pyroxenite and Theralite Properties

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

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