Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters
Discoverer
Unknown
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Banded
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Fibrous
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing 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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Thermal Travertine and Tufa
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
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Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
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.
Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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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, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Splintery
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Dull to Pearly
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
1.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
2.71 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, Russia
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
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Pyroxenite vs Travertine 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 Travertine characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyroxenite and Properties of Travertine. Learn more about Pyroxenite vs Travertine in the next section. The interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Travertine include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyroxenite and Travertine, 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 Travertine include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Pyroxenite and Travertine
Here you can know more about Pyroxenite and Travertine. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyroxenite and Travertine 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 Travertine includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyroxenite vs Travertine, 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, Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Travertine is Fibrous. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyroxenite vs Travertine. The hardness of Pyroxenite is 7 and that of Travertine is 3-4. The types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites whereas types of Travertine are Thermal Travertine and Tufa. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pyroxenite and Travertine is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Pyroxenite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Travertine is 1.09 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 Travertine is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.