Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Jadeitite is a metamorphic rock usually found in blueschist grade metamorphic terrains
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Unknown
Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
From pyroxene mineral jadeite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Earthy
Color
Grey, White, Light Black
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded
Rough and Dull
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
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
As Dimension Stone, Cutting Tool, Knives
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Jewelry
Types
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Metamorphic rock
Features
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Jadeitite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
-
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Earthy
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67
2.79-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Rhyolite vs Jadeitite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Rhyolite vs Jadeitite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Rhyolite and Properties of Jadeitite. Learn more about Rhyolite vs Jadeitite in the next section. The interior uses of Rhyolite include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Jadeitite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Rhyolite and Jadeitite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Rhyolite in construction industry include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Knives and that of Jadeitite include As dimension stone, Cutting tool, Knives.
More about Rhyolite and Jadeitite
Here you can know more about Rhyolite and Jadeitite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Rhyolite and Jadeitite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Rhyolite includes Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Jadeitite includes Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Rhyolite vs Jadeitite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors whereas, Jadeitite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Rhyolite is Banded and that of Jadeitite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Rhyolite vs Jadeitite. The hardness of Rhyolite is 6-7 and that of Jadeitite is 3-5. The types of Rhyolite are Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks. whereas types of Jadeitite are Metamorphic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Rhyolite is while that of Jadeitite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Rhyolite is 0.71 kJ/Kg K and that of Jadeitite is 0.95 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Rhyolite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Jadeitite is heat resistant, water resistant.