Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
  
Borolanite is a variety of Nepheline Syenite and belongs to igneous rocks and contains nepheline-alkali feldspar pseudomorphs which occur as conspicuous white spots in the dark rock matrix
  
History
  
  
Origin
North America
  
Scotland
  
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
  
From Alkalic Igneous complex near Loch Borralan in northwest Scotland
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
  
Granular
  
Color
Grey, White, Light Black
  
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Banded
  
Banded and Foilated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
  
Cemetery Markers
  
Types
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
  
Not Available
  
Features
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
  
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, 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
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Borolanites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
  
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
  
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
  
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
  
Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
5.5-6
  
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
Colorless
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Earthy
  
Greasy to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
140.00 N/mm2
  
15
150.00 N/mm2
  
14
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Poor
  
Toughness
2
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67
  
2.6
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
  
2.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India
  
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
  
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
  
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia