Definition
Sovite is a coarse-grained variety of carbonatite which belongs to intrusive igneous rock
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
-
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft 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
Granular, Poikiloblastic
Granular
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Carbonatite
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Sovites are formed due to low degrees of partial melting of rocks.
Nepheline Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.
Mineral Content
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
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, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Greasy to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.6
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
Others
Greenland
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia
Sovite vs Nepheline Syenite 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. Sovite vs Nepheline Syenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Sovite and Properties of Nepheline Syenite. Learn more about Sovite vs Nepheline Syenite in the next section. The interior uses of Sovite include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Nepheline Syenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Sovite and Nepheline Syenite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Sovite in construction industry include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Nepheline Syenite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics.
More about Sovite and Nepheline Syenite
Here you can know more about Sovite and Nepheline Syenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Sovite and Nepheline Syenite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Sovite includes Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite and mineral content of Nepheline Syenite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Sovite vs Nepheline Syenite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Sovite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Sovite is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Nepheline Syenite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Sovite vs Nepheline Syenite. The hardness of Sovite is 3 and that of Nepheline Syenite is 5.5-6. The types of Sovite are Carbonatite whereas types of Nepheline Syenite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Sovite and Nepheline Syenite is white. The specific heat capacity of Sovite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Nepheline Syenite is 0.71 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Sovite is heat resistant, pressure resistant whereas Nepheline Syenite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.