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
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
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
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull
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
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
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
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.
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
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
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
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
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.
