Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
  
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
New Zealand
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
  
From German which means hornstone
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
  
Granular, Platy
  
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
  
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
  
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
  
Architecture
  
  
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, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
  
Biotite hornfels
  
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
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed 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
  
Andalusite
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
  
Fe, Mg
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
7
  
2-3
  
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Uneven
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
Unknown
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
  
Shiny
  
Compressive Strength
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Irregular
  
Perfect
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
Not Yet Found
  
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
  
3.4-3.9
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
  
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.84 kJ/Kg K
  
15
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
India, Russia
  
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
  
Africa
South Africa
  
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
  
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
  
United Kingdom
  
Others
Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
  
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
Pyroxenite vs Hornfels 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 Hornfels characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyroxenite and Properties of Hornfels. Learn more about Pyroxenite vs Hornfels in the next section. The interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyroxenite and Hornfels, 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 Hornfels include For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Pyroxenite and Hornfels
Here you can know more about Pyroxenite and Hornfels. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyroxenite and Hornfels 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 Hornfels includes Andalusite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyroxenite vs Hornfels, 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, Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Hornfels is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyroxenite vs Hornfels. The hardness of Pyroxenite is 7 and that of Hornfels is 2-3. The types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites whereas types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels. 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 Hornfels is unknown. The specific heat capacity of Pyroxenite is Not Available and that of Hornfels 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 Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.