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, 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
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
Basaltic Scoria and Andesitic Scoria
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Surfaces are often shiny
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
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
Specific Gravity
-9999
2.4-2.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
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
-
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
-
Scoria vs Nephelinite 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 Nephelinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Scoria and Properties of Nephelinite. Learn more about Scoria vs Nephelinite in the next section. The interior uses of Scoria include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Scoria and Nephelinite, 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 Nephelinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Scoria and Nephelinite
Here you can know more about Scoria and Nephelinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Scoria and Nephelinite 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 Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Scoria vs Nephelinite, 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, Nephelinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Scoria is Glassy and Vesicular and that of Nephelinite is Skeletal. Properties of rock is another aspect for Scoria vs Nephelinite. The hardness of Scoria is 5-6 and that of Nephelinite is 6.5. The types of Scoria are Basaltic Scoria and Andesitic Scoria whereas types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Scoria and Nephelinite is white. The specific heat capacity of Scoria is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K. 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 Nephelinite is heat resistant.