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Pyroxenite vs Cataclasite


Cataclasite vs Pyroxenite


Definition

Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine  
Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix  

History
  
  

Origin
-  
Swiss Alps, Europe  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Michael Tellinger  

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

Class
Igneous Rocks  
Metamorphic Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic  
-  

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

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic  
Clastic  

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

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
No  

Stain Resistant
Yes  
No  

Wind Resistant
Yes  
No  

Acid Resistant
Yes  
No  

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny  
Dull and Banded  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone  

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
-  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts  
Artifacts  

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites  
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite  

Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock  
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

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.  
Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene  
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz  

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
No  

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism  
-  

Weathering
Yes  
Yes  

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

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7  
3-4  

Grain Size
Coarse Grained  
Fine Grained  

Fracture
Uneven  
-  

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey  
Black  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic  
Vitreous  

Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2  
22
50.00 N/mm2  
39

Cleavage
-  
-  

Toughness
-  
-  

Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5  
2.1  

Transparency
Opaque  
Translucent to Opaque  

Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3  
2.9-3.1 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia  
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea  

Africa
South Africa  
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa  

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey  
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom  

Others
Greenland  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA  
Canada, USA  

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela  
Argentina, Colombia  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland  
Central Australia, Western Australia  

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Pyroxenite vs Cataclasite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Pyroxenite and Cataclasite Reserves. Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine. Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Pyroxenite vs Cataclasite information and Pyroxenite vs Cataclasite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Pyroxenite vs Cataclasite Characteristics

Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Pyroxenite vs Cataclasite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyroxenite and Properties of Cataclasite. Learn more about Pyroxenite vs Cataclasite in the next section. The interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Cataclasite include Decorative aggregates and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyroxenite and Cataclasite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Pyroxenite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Cataclasite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Pyroxenite and Cataclasite

Here you can know more about Pyroxenite and Cataclasite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyroxenite and Cataclasite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene and mineral content of Cataclasite includes Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyroxenite vs Cataclasite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas, Cataclasite is available in brown, green, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Cataclasite is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyroxenite vs Cataclasite. The hardness of Pyroxenite is 7 and that of Cataclasite is 3-4. The types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites whereas types of Cataclasite are Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey while that of Cataclasite is black. The specific heat capacity of Pyroxenite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Cataclasite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Cataclasite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.

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