Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Felsite is a very fine grained volcanic rock that may or may not contain larger crystals and light colored rock that typically requires petrographic examination or chemical analysis for more precise definition
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
From English feldspar and -ite
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
Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
Medical Industry
-
Surgery
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Mirror, Jewelry
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Igneous rock
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, Splintery, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Felsite 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.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Feldspar, Iron Oxides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional 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, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Vitreous
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
South Africa
Kenya
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand
Pyroxenite vs Felsite 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 Felsite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyroxenite and Properties of Felsite. Learn more about Pyroxenite vs Felsite in the next section. The interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Felsite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyroxenite and Felsite, 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 Felsite include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points.
More about Pyroxenite and Felsite
Here you can know more about Pyroxenite and Felsite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyroxenite and Felsite 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 Felsite includes Feldspar, Iron Oxides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyroxenite vs Felsite, 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, Felsite is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. Appearance of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Felsite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyroxenite vs Felsite. The hardness of Pyroxenite is 7 and that of Felsite is 5-5.5. The types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites whereas types of Felsite are Igneous rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pyroxenite and Felsite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Pyroxenite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Felsite is 0.92 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 Felsite is heat resistant, impact resistant.