Rhyolite and Breccia
Definition
Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
History
Origin
North America
England
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Unknown
Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Brecciated, Clastic
Color
Grey, White, Light Black
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Maintenance
More
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
Yes
Yes
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Stain Resistant
Yes
Yes
Wind Resistant
Yes
Yes
Acid Resistant
Yes
No
Appearance
Banded
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, 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, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Types
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Features
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
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
Present
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.
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
Composition
Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
Yes
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
Yes
Yes
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
6-7
7
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
Colorless
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Earthy
Dull to Pearly
Compressive Strength
140.00 N/mm2
15
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Non-Existent
Toughness
2
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
0 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
All about Rhyolite and Breccia Properties
Know all about Rhyolite and Breccia properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Rhyolite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Breccia belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Rhyolite is Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic whereas that of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic. Rhyolite appears Banded and Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Rhyolite is earthy while that of Breccia is dull to pearly. Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors whereas Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Rhyolite are gemstone, laboratory bench tops, jewelry and that of Breccia are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.
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