Definition
Scoria is a dark-colored extrusive igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From late Middle English (denoting slag from molten metal), from Greek skōria refuse, from skōr dung
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Vesicular
Aphanitic
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Grey to Black, Red
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy and Vesicular
Skeletal
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, Creating Artwork, High-temperature insulation, In gas barbecue grills
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Surfaces are often shiny
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Scoria forms when magma containing huge amount of dissolved gas flows from a volcano during an eruption.
Nephelinite 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
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl
Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Vitreous to Metallic
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Imperfect
Specific Gravity
Not Available
2.4-2.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.5-3 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Japan
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
Rwanda, Tanzania
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Not Yet Found
Others
Not Yet Found
Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
All about Scoria and Nephelinite Properties
Know all about Scoria and Nephelinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Scoria and Nephelinite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Scoria is Vesicular whereas that of Nephelinite is Aphanitic. Scoria appears Glassy and Vesicular and Nephelinite appears Skeletal. The luster of Scoria is subvitreous to dull while that of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic. Scoria is available in black, brown, dark grey to black, red colors whereas Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Scoria are as a traction material on snow-covered roads, creating artwork, high-temperature insulation, in gas barbecue grills and that of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).