Definition
Rhyodacite is an extrusive volcanic rock intermediate in composition between dacite and rhyolite
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
Rhyo lite + dacite : a rock intermediate between rhyolite and dacite that is the extrusive equivalent of granodiorite
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Granular, Graphic
Color
Black to Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Skeletal
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping
As Dimension Stone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns
Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Rhyodacite 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.
Aplites belong to intrusive igneous rocks which are mostly quart and alkali feldspar and are formed from residual eutectic granitic liquids and represent the final crystallization products of magma.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, NA, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Not Available
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Toughness
2.1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.34-2.40
2.6
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Rhyodacite vs Aplite 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. Rhyodacite vs Aplite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Rhyodacite and Properties of Aplite. Learn more about Rhyodacite vs Aplite in the next section. The interior uses of Rhyodacite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Aplite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Rhyodacite and Aplite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Rhyodacite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping and that of Aplite include As dimension stone.
More about Rhyodacite and Aplite
Here you can know more about Rhyodacite and Aplite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Rhyodacite and Aplite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Rhyodacite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon and mineral content of Aplite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Rhyodacite vs Aplite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Rhyodacite is available in black to grey, dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Rhyodacite is Skeletal and that of Aplite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Rhyodacite vs Aplite. The hardness of Rhyodacite is 5.5-6 and that of Aplite is 6.5. The types of Rhyodacite are Not Available whereas types of Aplite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Rhyodacite is black while that of Aplite is white. The specific heat capacity of Rhyodacite is 1.12 kJ/Kg K and that of Aplite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Rhyodacite is heat resistant whereas Aplite is heat resistant, wear resistant.