Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Origin
Unknown
North America
Discoverer
Unknown
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Grey, White, Light Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Banded
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not 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.
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Sub-conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
Colorless
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Earthy
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Irregular
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
2
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
2.65-2.67
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India
Africa
South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Pyroxenite vs Rhyolite 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 Rhyolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyroxenite and Properties of Rhyolite. Learn more about Pyroxenite vs Rhyolite in the next section. The interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Rhyolite include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyroxenite and Rhyolite, 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 Rhyolite include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Knives.
More about Pyroxenite and Rhyolite
Here you can know more about Pyroxenite and Rhyolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyroxenite and Rhyolite 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 Rhyolite includes Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyroxenite vs Rhyolite, 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, Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors. Appearance of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Rhyolite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyroxenite vs Rhyolite. The hardness of Pyroxenite is 7 and that of Rhyolite is 6-7. The types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites whereas types of Rhyolite are Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.. 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 Rhyolite is colorless. The specific heat capacity of Pyroxenite is Not Available and that of Rhyolite is Not Available. 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 Rhyolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.