Definition
Shoshonite is a basaltic rock, properly a potassic trachyandesite, composed of olivine, augite and plagioclase phenocrysts in a groundmass with calcic plagioclase and sanidine and some dark-colored volcanic glass
Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth
Discoverer
Iddings
Georgius Agricola
Etymology
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Brown- Black, Dark Brown
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums
Types
Not Available
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Shoshonite 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.
Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
Mineral Content
Pyroxene
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Not Available
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Not Available
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Poor
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.98
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
India, Russia
Africa
South Africa
South Africa
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
All about Shoshonite and Basalt Properties
Know all about Shoshonite and Basalt properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Shoshonite and Basalt belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Shoshonite is Porphyritic whereas that of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Shoshonite appears Dull and Basalt appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Shoshonite is dull while that of Basalt is not available. Shoshonite is available in brown- black, dark brown colors whereas Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Shoshonite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums.