Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Shoshonite is a basaltic rock, properly a potassic trachyandesite, composed of olivine, augite and plagioclase phenocrysts in a groundmass with calcic plagioclase and sanidine and some dark-colored volcanic glass
Origin
North America
Wyoming,USA
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Iddings
Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Porphyritic
Color
Grey, White, Light Black
Brown- Black, Dark Brown
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
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, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Sculpture
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
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
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
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.
Shoshonite 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.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Pyroxene
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
Colorless
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Poor
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67
2.98
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
2.9-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
India, Russia
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa
Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
Iceland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
Rhyolite vs Shoshonite 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 Shoshonite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Rhyolite and Properties of Shoshonite. Learn more about Rhyolite vs Shoshonite in the next section. The interior uses of Rhyolite include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Shoshonite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Rhyolite and Shoshonite, 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 Shoshonite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Rhyolite and Shoshonite
Here you can know more about Rhyolite and Shoshonite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Rhyolite and Shoshonite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Rhyolite includes Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Shoshonite includes Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Rhyolite vs Shoshonite, 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, Shoshonite is available in brown- black, dark brown colors. Appearance of Rhyolite is Banded and that of Shoshonite is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Rhyolite vs Shoshonite. The hardness of Rhyolite is 6-7 and that of Shoshonite is 6. The types of Rhyolite are Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks. whereas types of Shoshonite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Rhyolite is colorless while that of Shoshonite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Rhyolite is Not Available and that of Shoshonite is Not Available. 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 Shoshonite is heat resistant, pressure resistant.
