Rhyolite and Icelandite

Rhyolite

Icelandite

Icelandite and Rhyolite

Definition

Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica

Icelandite belongs to volcanic igneous rocks which is rich in iron and belongs to andesite rock

History

Origin

North America

Iceland

Discoverer

Ferdinand von Richthofen

Ian S. E. Carmichael

Etymology

From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone

From its origin place near Cenozoic volcano near the parsonage Þingmúli in East Iceland

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Color

Grey, White, Light Black

Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow

Maintenance

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Banded

Dull and Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings

Office Buildings, Roof Tiles

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

Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.

Not Available

Features

Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors

Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Not Yet Used

Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

Sculpture

Not Yet Used

Used

Famous Sculptures

Not Applicable

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Figurines

Not Yet Used

Used

Fossils

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.

Icelandite 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon

Compound Content

Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Sub-conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

Colorless

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Earthy

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

140.00 N/mm²

Not Available

Cleavage

Not Available

Toughness

1.1

Specific Gravity

2.65-2.67

2.5-2.8

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.4-2.6 g/cm³

2.11-2.36 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

2.39 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India

India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea

Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain

Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Mexico, USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Rhyolite and Icelandite Properties

Know all about Rhyolite and Icelandite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Rhyolite and Icelandite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Rhyolite is Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic whereas that of Icelandite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Rhyolite appears Banded and Icelandite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Rhyolite is earthy while that of Icelandite is vitreous. Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors whereas Icelandite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Rhyolite are gemstone, laboratory bench tops, jewelry and that of Icelandite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.