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
Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava
Origin
Wyoming,USA
North America
Discoverer
Iddings
Unknown
Etymology
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming
From Andes mountains, where it is found in abundance
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Brown- Black, Dark Brown
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Icelandite
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Middle of the Earth in Ecuador
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
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.
Andesite is a fine-grained igneous rock that forms when the magma is erupted onto the surface and is crystallized quickly.
Mineral Content
Pyroxene
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Poor
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.98
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3 g/cm3
2.11-2.36 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, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea
Africa
South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Iceland
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Shoshonite vs Andesite 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. Shoshonite vs Andesite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Shoshonite and Properties of Andesite. Learn more about Shoshonite vs Andesite in the next section. The interior uses of Shoshonite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Andesite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Shoshonite and Andesite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Shoshonite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Andesite include Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Shoshonite and Andesite
Here you can know more about Shoshonite and Andesite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Shoshonite and Andesite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Shoshonite includes Pyroxene and mineral content of Andesite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Shoshonite vs Andesite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Shoshonite is available in brown- black, dark brown colors whereas, Andesite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors. Appearance of Shoshonite is Dull and that of Andesite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Shoshonite vs Andesite. The hardness of Shoshonite is 6 and that of Andesite is 7. The types of Shoshonite are Not Available whereas types of Andesite are Icelandite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Shoshonite is white to grey while that of Andesite is white. The specific heat capacity of Shoshonite is Not Available and that of Andesite is 2.39 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Shoshonite is heat resistant, pressure resistant whereas Andesite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.
