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
Minette is a variety of Lamprophyre and is porphyritic alkaline igneous rock which is mainly dominated by biotite and potassic feldspar
Origin
Wyoming,USA
Unknown
Discoverer
Iddings
Unknown
Etymology
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming
From French mine ore, mine + ette
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
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Porphyritic
Color
Brown- Black, Dark Brown
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
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.
Minette formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Mineral Content
Pyroxene
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium 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
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Toughness
1.6
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.98
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.9-3 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Russia
Africa
South Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Iceland
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Shoshonite vs Minette 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 Minette characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Shoshonite and Properties of Minette. Learn more about Shoshonite vs Minette in the next section. The interior uses of Shoshonite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Minette include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Shoshonite and Minette, 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 Minette include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Shoshonite and Minette
Here you can know more about Shoshonite and Minette. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Shoshonite and Minette consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Shoshonite includes Pyroxene and mineral content of Minette includes Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Shoshonite vs Minette, 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, Minette is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Shoshonite is Dull and that of Minette is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Shoshonite vs Minette. The hardness of Shoshonite is 6 and that of Minette is 5-6. The types of Shoshonite are Not Available whereas types of Minette are Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite. 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 Minette is white. The specific heat capacity of Shoshonite is Not Available and that of Minette is Not Available. 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 Minette is heat resistant, impact resistant.