Rhyolite and Aplite
Definition
Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
History
Origin
North America
Iran
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Unknown
Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
Volcanic
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Granular, Graphic
Color
Grey, White, Light Black
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Maintenance
More
More
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
Yes
Yes
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Stain Resistant
Yes
Yes
Wind Resistant
Yes
Yes
Acid Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Veined or Pebbled
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
As Dimension Stone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
Types
Types
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Not Available
Features
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
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
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
Formation
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.
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.
Composition
Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
Yes
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
Yes
Yes
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
6-7
6.5
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
Not Available
Streak
Colorless
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Earthy
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Compressive Strength
140.00 N/mm2
15
130.00 N/mm2
16
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Toughness
2
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67
2.6
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
0.79 kJ/Kg K
16
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
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
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
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
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
All about Rhyolite and Aplite Properties
Know all about Rhyolite and Aplite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Rhyolite and Aplite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Rhyolite is Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic whereas that of Aplite is Granular, Graphic. Rhyolite appears Banded and Aplite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Rhyolite is earthy while that of Aplite is dull to pearly to subvitreous. Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors whereas Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Rhyolite are gemstone, laboratory bench tops, jewelry and that of Aplite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, small sculptures, tombstones.
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