Quartzite

Ignimbrite

Quartzite and Ignimbrite

Quartzite

Ignimbrite

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Definition

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

Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows

History

Origin

New Zealand

Discoverer

Unknown

Patrick Marshall

Etymology

From quartz + -ite

From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated, Granular

Aphanitic

Color

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

Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Lustrous

Dull, Vesicular and Foilated

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, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

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

Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, 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

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite

Pyroclastic rock

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust

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.

Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

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

Ca, NaCl

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-74-6

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

115.00 N/mm²243.80 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Indiscernible

Toughness

1.9

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.82.73

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Transparent to Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.32-2.42 g/cm³1-1.8 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.75 kJ/Kg K0.20 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Africa

Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe

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

France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland

Antarctica, Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Bahamas, Canada, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Quartzite and Ignimbrite Properties

Know all about Quartzite and Ignimbrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Quartzite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Ignimbrite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Quartzite is Foliated, Granular whereas that of Ignimbrite is Aphanitic. Quartzite appears Lustrous and Ignimbrite appears Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Quartzite is vitreous while that of Ignimbrite is vitreous to dull. Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors whereas Ignimbrite is available in beige, black, brown, 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 Ignimbrite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.