Rhyolite and Diabase
Definition
Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
History
Origin
North America
Germany
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
From Greek di + base
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
Volcanic
Volcanic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Aphanitic, Granular
Color
Grey, White, Light Black
Dark Grey to Black
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
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Vesicular
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
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
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Types
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Not Available
Features
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
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.
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.
Composition
Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
Yes
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Erosion
Yes
Yes
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
6-7
7
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
Colorless
Black
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Earthy
Not Available
Compressive Strength
140.00 N/mm2
15
225.00 N/mm2
7
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Toughness
2
1.6
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 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
India
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
All about Rhyolite and Diabase Properties
Know all about Rhyolite and Diabase properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Rhyolite and Diabase belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Rhyolite is Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic whereas that of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular. Rhyolite appears Banded and Diabase appears Vesicular. The luster of Rhyolite is earthy while that of Diabase is not available. Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors whereas Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Rhyolite are gemstone, laboratory bench tops, jewelry and that of Diabase are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.
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