Shonkinite and Tuff

Shonkinite

Tuff

Definition

Shonkinite is a rare, dark-coloured and intrusive igneous rock which contains augite and orthoclase feldspar as its primary constituents

Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption

History

Origin

USA

Italy

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From the name of Shonkin Sag ranges in the Highwood Mountains of north-central Montana, US

From a Latin word tophous then in Italian tufo and finally tuff

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy

Clastic, Pyroclastic

Color

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Brown, Grey, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Dull, Vesicular and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, 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

Industry

Construction Industry

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

Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Creating Artwork

Types

Not Available

Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

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

Tuff is formed when large masses of ash and sand which are mixed with hot gases are ejected by a volcano and avalanche rapidly down its slopes.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Calcite, Chlorite

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

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

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

4-6

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Not Available

Uneven

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²

243.80 N/mm²

Cleavage

Perfect

Not Available

Toughness

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.7

2.73

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.6-2.8 g/cm³

1-1.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.20 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Africa

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

Cameroon, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda

Europe

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Antarctica, Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA

South America

Brazil, Chile

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Shonkinite and Tuff Properties

Know all about Shonkinite and Tuff properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Shonkinite and Tuff belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Shonkinite is Earthy whereas that of Tuff is Clastic, Pyroclastic. Shonkinite appears Banded and Foilated and Tuff appears Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Shonkinite is subvitreous to dull while that of Tuff is vitreous to dull. Shonkinite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Tuff is available in brown, grey, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Shonkinite and Tuff are cemetery markers, creating artwork.