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Pyroxenite and Tonalite


Tonalite and Pyroxenite


Definition

Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine   
Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Tonale, Italy   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks   
From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1   

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   
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   
Phaneritic   

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

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Banded and Foilated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens   
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving 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, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites   
Dacite   

Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock   
Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

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.   
When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon   

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Burial 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, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
6-7   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
Bluish Black   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Very Less Porous   

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   
Subvitreous to Dull   

Cleavage
Irregular   
Not Available   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.1   

Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5   
2.86-3   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   
2.73 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
Not Yet Found   

Africa
South Africa   
Egypt   

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey   

Others
Greenland   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland   
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Pyroxenite and Tonalite Properties

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

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