Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Quench
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Cataclastic rock
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite 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
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
-
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Vitreous
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
South Korea
Africa
South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Great Britain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
-
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Central Australia, Western Australia
Pyroxenite vs Pseudotachylite 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 Pseudotachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyroxenite and Properties of Pseudotachylite. Learn more about Pyroxenite vs Pseudotachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Pseudotachylite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyroxenite and Pseudotachylite, 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 Pseudotachylite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Pyroxenite and Pseudotachylite
Here you can know more about Pyroxenite and Pseudotachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyroxenite and Pseudotachylite 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 Pseudotachylite includes Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyroxenite vs Pseudotachylite, 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, Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Pseudotachylite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyroxenite vs Pseudotachylite. Hardness of Pyroxenite and Pseudotachylite is 7. The types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites whereas types of Pseudotachylite are Cataclastic rock. 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 Pseudotachylite is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Pyroxenite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Pseudotachylite 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 Pseudotachylite is heat resistant.