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Quartzite and Wehrlite


Wehrlite and Quartzite


Definition

Definition
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone   
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Egypt   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Alois Wehrle   

Etymology
From quartz + -ite   
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Foliated, Granular   
Banded   

Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow   
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Lustrous   
Rough and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes   
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
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, Cobblestones   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
NA   

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, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.   
Wehrlite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz   
Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
5.5-6   

Grain Size
Medium Grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal   
Irregular   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Vitreous   
Metallic   

Compressive Strength
115.00 N/mm2   
18
Not Available   

Cleavage
Indiscernible   
Perfect   

Toughness
1.9   
2.1   

Specific Gravity
2.6-2.8   
8.4   

Transparency
Transparent to Translucent   
Opaque   

Density
2.32-2.42 g/cm3   
2.6-3.7 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.75 kJ/Kg K   
18
0.63 kJ/Kg K   
21

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey   
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey   

Africa
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe   
Morocco, South Africa   

Europe
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom   
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela   

Others
Greenland   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Bahamas, Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia   
New Zealand, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Quartzite and Wehrlite Properties

Know all about Quartzite and Wehrlite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Quartzite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Wehrlite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Quartzite is Foliated, Granular whereas that of Wehrlite is Banded. Quartzite appears Lustrous and Wehrlite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Quartzite is vitreous while that of Wehrlite is metallic. Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors whereas Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green 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 Wehrlite are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.

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