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Scoria vs Variolite


Variolite vs Scoria


Definition

Definition
Scoria is a dark-colored extrusive igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities  
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance  

History
  
  

Origin
-  
France  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Unknown  

Etymology
From late Middle English (denoting slag from molten metal), from Greek skōria refuse, from skōr dung  
From Latin varius, speckled, variegated  

Class
Igneous Rocks  
Igneous Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic  
Volcanic  

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Vesicular  
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular  

Color
Black, Brown, Dark Grey to Black, Red  
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey  

Maintenance
More  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
No  
No  

Wind Resistant
No  
No  

Acid Resistant
No  
Yes  

Appearance
Glassy and Vesicular  
Dull and Soft  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens  

Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone  
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings  

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works  
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone  

Medical Industry
-  
-  

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

Types
Basaltic Scoria and Andesitic Scoria  
Metamorphic rock  

Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Surfaces are often shiny  
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

Formation
Scoria forms when magma containing huge amount of dissolved gas flows from a volcano during an eruption.  
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica  
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene  

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, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism  

Weathering
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
No  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion  
-  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5-6  
6  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
-  

Fracture
Conchoidal  
Conchoidal  

Streak
White  
White to Grey  

Porosity
Highly Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull  
-  

Compressive Strength
70.00 N/mm2  
35
37.50 N/mm2  
99+

Cleavage
Perfect  
-  

Toughness
2.1  
2.3  

Specific Gravity
-9999  
2.8-3  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
-9999 g/cm3  
2.9-3.1 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia  
India, Russia  

Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania  
South Africa  

Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey  
Iceland  

Others
-  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA  
Canada, USA  

South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru  
Brazil  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia  
-  

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Scoria vs Variolite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Scoria and Variolite Reserves. Scoria is a dark-colored extrusive igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities. Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Scoria vs Variolite information and Scoria vs Variolite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Scoria vs Variolite 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 Variolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Scoria and Properties of Variolite. Learn more about Scoria vs Variolite in the next section. The interior uses of Scoria include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Variolite include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Scoria and Variolite, 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 Variolite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.

More about Scoria and Variolite

Here you can know more about Scoria and Variolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Scoria and Variolite 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 Variolite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Scoria vs Variolite, 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, Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Scoria is Glassy and Vesicular and that of Variolite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Scoria vs Variolite. The hardness of Scoria is 5-6 and that of Variolite is 6. The types of Scoria are Basaltic Scoria and Andesitic Scoria whereas types of Variolite are Metamorphic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Scoria is white while that of Variolite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Scoria is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Variolite is 0.84 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 Variolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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