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
Discoverer
Unknown
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
Group
Not Applicable
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
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Lustrous
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
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
Curbing
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
Not Available
Not Available
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
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
Not Available
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Available
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
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.
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
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Irregular
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Pearly to Subvitreous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Indiscernible
Not Available
Toughness
1.9
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.8
2.62-2.82
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Translucent
Density
2.32-2.42 g/cm3
2.7-4 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Not Available
Africa
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Not Available
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
Not Available
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
Quartzite vs Anorthosite 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. Quartzite vs Anorthosite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Quartzite and Properties of Anorthosite. Learn more about Quartzite vs Anorthosite in the next section. The interior uses of Quartzite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Homes whereas the interior uses of Anorthosite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Quartzite and Anorthosite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Quartzite in construction industry include 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 and that of Anorthosite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate.
More about Quartzite and Anorthosite
Here you can know more about Quartzite and Anorthosite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Quartzite and Anorthosite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Quartzite includes Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz and mineral content of Anorthosite includes Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Quartzite vs Anorthosite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. 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. Appearance of Quartzite is Lustrous and that of Anorthosite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Quartzite vs Anorthosite. The hardness of Quartzite is 6-7 and that of Anorthosite is 5-6. The types of Quartzite are Not Available whereas types of Anorthosite are Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Quartzite and Anorthosite is white. The specific heat capacity of Quartzite is 0.75 kJ/Kg K and that of Anorthosite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Quartzite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Anorthosite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant.
