Definition
Scoria is a dark-colored extrusive igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities
  
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz
  
History
  
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From late Middle English (denoting slag from molten metal), from Greek skōria refuse, from skōr dung
  
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Vesicular
  
Granular
  
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Grey to Black, Red
  
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Glassy and Vesicular
  
Banded and Foilated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, Creating Artwork, High-temperature insulation, In gas barbecue grills
  
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Not Available
  
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Surfaces are often shiny
  
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Scoria forms when magma containing huge amount of dissolved gas flows from a volcano during an eruption.
  
Nepheline Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica
  
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
  
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5-6
  
5.5-6
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Greasy to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
Not Available
  
150.00 N/mm
2
  
14
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Poor
  
Toughness
2.1
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
Not Available
  
2.6
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
Not Available
  
2.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
  
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
  
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
  
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
  
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
  
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
  
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia
  
Scoria vs Nepheline Syenite 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. Scoria vs Nepheline Syenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Scoria and Properties of Nepheline Syenite. Learn more about Scoria vs Nepheline Syenite in the next section. The interior uses of Scoria include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Nepheline Syenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Scoria and Nepheline Syenite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Scoria in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works and that of Nepheline Syenite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics.
More about Scoria and Nepheline Syenite
Here you can know more about Scoria and Nepheline Syenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Scoria and Nepheline Syenite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Scoria includes Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica and mineral content of Nepheline Syenite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Scoria vs Nepheline Syenite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Scoria is available in black, brown, dark grey to black, red colors whereas, Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Scoria is Glassy and Vesicular and that of Nepheline Syenite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Scoria vs Nepheline Syenite. The hardness of Scoria is 5-6 and that of Nepheline Syenite is 5.5-6. The types of Scoria are Not Available whereas types of Nepheline Syenite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Scoria and Nepheline Syenite is white. The specific heat capacity of Scoria is Not Available and that of Nepheline Syenite is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Scoria is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Nepheline Syenite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.