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Rhomb Porphyry and Diabase


Diabase and Rhomb Porphyry


Definition

Definition
Rhomb-porphyry is a porphyritic igneous rock with abundant wedge or lens shaped anorthoclase or feldspar phenocrysts   
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Germany   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Christian Leopold von Buch   

Etymology
From Latin term that means purple   
From Greek di + base   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Volcanic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic   
Aphanitic, Granular   

Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White   
Dark Grey to Black   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Rough   
Vesicular   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Metallurgical Flux, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Host Rock for Lead   
Smooth to touch   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Rhomb-porphyry 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.   
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine   

Compound Content
CaO, Cl, MgO   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

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

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5-5.5   
7   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine to Medium Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Very Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull   
Not Available   

Compressive Strength
310.00 N/mm2   
2
225.00 N/mm2   
7

Cleavage
Perfect   
Not Available   

Toughness
2.7   
1.6   

Specific Gravity
2.86   
2.86-2.87   

Transparency
Translucent   
Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
2.7-3.3 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10
Not Available   

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Not Yet Found   
India   

Africa
Not Yet Found   
South Africa, Tanzania   

Europe
Bulgaria   
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Antarctica, Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Not Yet Found   
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Rhomb Porphyry and Diabase Properties

Know all about Rhomb Porphyry and Diabase properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Rhomb Porphyry and Diabase belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Rhomb Porphyry is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular. Rhomb Porphyry appears Rough and Diabase appears Vesicular. The luster of Rhomb Porphyry is subvitreous to dull while that of Diabase is not available. Rhomb Porphyry is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Rhomb Porphyry are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, metallurgical flux, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Diabase are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.

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