Quartzite

Anorthosite

Quartzite and Anorthosite

Quartzite

Anorthosite

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Definition

Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone

Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From quartz + -ite

From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated, Granular

Foliated, Glassy

Color

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Lustrous

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums

Creating Artwork, Curling

Types

Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite

Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.

Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.

Composition

Mineral Content

Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz

Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-75-6

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium Grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Pearly to Subvitreous

Compressive Strength

115.00 N/mm²180.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Indiscernible

Toughness

1.9

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.82.62-2.82

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Transparent to Translucent

Translucent

Density

2.32-2.42 g/cm³2.7-4 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.75 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Europe

England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom

Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Bahamas, Canada, USA

Canada

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Bolivia, Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Quartzite and Anorthosite Properties

Know all about Quartzite and Anorthosite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Quartzite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Anorthosite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Quartzite is Foliated, Granular whereas that of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy. Quartzite appears Lustrous and Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Quartzite is vitreous while that of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous. Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors whereas Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Quartzite are an oil and gas reservoir, as armour rock for sea walls, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, in aquifers, laboratory bench tops, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling.