Definition
Rhyodacite is an extrusive volcanic rock intermediate in composition between dacite and rhyolite
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
Rhyo lite + dacite : a rock intermediate between rhyolite and dacite that is the extrusive equivalent of granodiorite
From Greek di + base
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, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Aphanitic, Granular
Color
Black to Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Skeletal
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Intermediate volcanic rock
Dolerite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
-
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
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.
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.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.34-2.40
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
India
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
-
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
-
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Rhyodacite vs Diabase 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 Diabase characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Rhyodacite and Properties of Diabase. Learn more about Rhyodacite vs Diabase in the next section. The interior uses of Rhyodacite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Rhyodacite and Diabase, 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 Diabase include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Rhyodacite and Diabase
Here you can know more about Rhyodacite and Diabase. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Rhyodacite and Diabase 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 Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Rhyodacite vs Diabase, 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, Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Rhyodacite is Skeletal and that of Diabase is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Rhyodacite vs Diabase. The hardness of Rhyodacite is 5.5-6 and that of Diabase is 7. The types of Rhyodacite are Intermediate volcanic rock whereas types of Diabase are Dolerite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Rhyodacite and Diabase is black. The specific heat capacity of Rhyodacite is 1.12 kJ/Kg K and that of Diabase 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.Rhyodacite is heat resistant whereas Diabase is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.