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
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Origin
Wyoming,USA
North America
Discoverer
Iddings
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Etymology
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
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
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Color
Brown- Black, Dark Brown
Grey, White, Light Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
Types
Not Available
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet 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.
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.
Mineral Content
Pyroxene
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Sub-conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
Colorless
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Poor
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.98
2.65-2.67
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3 g/cm3
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India
Africa
South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Iceland
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Shoshonite vs Rhyolite 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 Rhyolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Shoshonite and Properties of Rhyolite. Learn more about Shoshonite vs Rhyolite in the next section. The interior uses of Shoshonite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Rhyolite include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Shoshonite and Rhyolite, 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 Rhyolite include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Knives.
More about Shoshonite and Rhyolite
Here you can know more about Shoshonite and Rhyolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Shoshonite and Rhyolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Shoshonite includes Pyroxene and mineral content of Rhyolite includes Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Shoshonite vs Rhyolite, 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, Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors. Appearance of Shoshonite is Dull and that of Rhyolite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Shoshonite vs Rhyolite. The hardness of Shoshonite is 6 and that of Rhyolite is 6-7. The types of Shoshonite are Not Available whereas types of Rhyolite are Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.. 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 Rhyolite is colorless. The specific heat capacity of Shoshonite is Not Available and that of Rhyolite 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 Rhyolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.