Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
During the impact melted material forming a breccia containing glass and crystal or lithic fragments together form Suevite rock.
Origin
North America
Canada, Germany
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Unknown
Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
No etymologies found
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Earthy
Color
Grey, White, Light Black
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Applicable
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Phyllosilicates, Calcite
Features
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
Host Rock for Lead
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
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.
Suevite is a metamorphic rock consisting partly of melted material, typically forming a breccia containing glass and crystal or lithic fragments, formed during an impact event.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Coesite, Quartz, Stishovite
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
Colorless
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Irregular
Toughness
2
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
Not Yet Found
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Not Yet Found
Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
England, France, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Not Yet Found
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 Suevite Properties
Know all about Rhyolite and Suevite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Rhyolite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Suevite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Rhyolite is Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic whereas that of Suevite is Earthy. Rhyolite appears Banded and Suevite appears Banded. The luster of Rhyolite and Suevite is earthy. Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors whereas Suevite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink colors. The commercial uses of Rhyolite are gemstone, laboratory bench tops, jewelry and that of Suevite are as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo).