Home
Compare Rocks


Shonkinite and Harzburgite


Harzburgite and Shonkinite


Definition

Definition
Shonkinite is a rare, dark-coloured and intrusive igneous rock which contains augite and orthoclase feldspar as its primary constituents   
Harzburgite is a plutonic rock of the peridotite group consisting largely of orthopyroxene and olivine   

History
  
  

Origin
USA   
Germany   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the name of Shonkin Sag ranges in the Highwood Mountains of north-central Montana, US   
From the name of a town in Harzburg, Germany   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Plutonic   

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

Texture

Texture
Earthy   
Phaneritic   

Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White   
Dark Greenish - Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Banded and Foilated   
Rough and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable   
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, 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

Formation
Shonkinites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.   
Harzburgite 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.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz   
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

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

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
5.5-6   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Not Available   
Irregular   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull   
Shiny   

Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2   
14
Not Available   

Cleavage
Perfect   
Imperfect   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.1   

Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7   
3-3.01   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
2.6-2.8 g/cm3   
3.1-3.4 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10
1.25 kJ/Kg K   
6

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam   
Japan, Oman   

Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   
South Africa   

Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland   
France, Germany, Italy, Venezuela   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Hawaii Islands, Mid-Atlantic Ridge   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil, Chile   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia   
Not Yet Found   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Shonkinite and Harzburgite Properties

Know all about Shonkinite and Harzburgite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Shonkinite and Harzburgite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Shonkinite is Earthy whereas that of Harzburgite is Phaneritic. Shonkinite appears Banded and Foilated and Harzburgite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Shonkinite is subvitreous to dull while that of Harzburgite is shiny. Shonkinite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Harzburgite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. The commercial uses of Shonkinite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Harzburgite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds.

Compare Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

» More Igneous Rocks

Compare Igneous Rocks

» More Compare Igneous Rocks