Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
From English word serpentinization.
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Earthy
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Jadeitite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
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. Serpentinite 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
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Irregular
Irregular
Toughness
Not Available
7
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
2.79-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
South Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Pyroxenite vs Serpentinite 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 Serpentinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyroxenite and Properties of Serpentinite. Learn more about Pyroxenite vs Serpentinite in the next section. The interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Serpentinite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyroxenite and Serpentinite, 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 Serpentinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Pyroxenite and Serpentinite
Here you can know more about Pyroxenite and Serpentinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyroxenite and Serpentinite 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 Serpentinite includes Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyroxenite vs Serpentinite, 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, Serpentinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Serpentinite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyroxenite vs Serpentinite. The hardness of Pyroxenite is 7 and that of Serpentinite is 3-5. The types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites whereas types of Serpentinite are Jadeitite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pyroxenite and Serpentinite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Pyroxenite is Not Available and that of Serpentinite is 0.95 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 Serpentinite is heat resistant.