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Serpentinite and Websterite


Websterite and Serpentinite


Definition

Definition
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.   
Websterite is ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that consists of roughly equal proportions of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene. It is a special type of pyroxenite.   

History
  
  

Origin
USA   
Webster, North Carolina   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From English word serpentinization.   
From the town of Webster located in North Carolina   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Earthy   
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   

Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White   
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Rough and Dull   
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement   
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   

Types

Types
Jadeitite   
Not Available   

Features
Host Rock for Lead   
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.   
Websterite can be formed as cumulates in ultramafic intrusions by accumulation of pyroxene crystals at the base of the lava chamber.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides   
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   

Weathering
No   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-5   
7   

Grain Size
Very fine-grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Uneven   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
White, Greenish White or Grey   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Waxy and Dull   
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   

Compressive Strength
310.00 N/mm2   
2
Not Available   

Cleavage
Irregular   
Irregular   

Toughness
7   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.79-3   
3.2-3.5   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.5-3 g/cm3   
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.95 kJ/Kg K   
9
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant   
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea   
India, Russia   

Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa   
South Africa   

Europe
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom   
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada   
Canada, USA   

South America
Colombia   
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia   
New Zealand, Queensland   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Serpentinite and Websterite Properties

Know all about Serpentinite and Websterite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Serpentinite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Websterite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Serpentinite is Earthy whereas that of Websterite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic. Serpentinite appears Rough and Dull and Websterite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Serpentinite is waxy and dull while that of Websterite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Serpentinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas Websterite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Serpentinite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Websterite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.

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