Syenite

Picrite

Syenite and Picrite

Syenite

Picrite

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Definition

Syenite is a coarse-grained igneous rock which is composed mainly of alkali feldspar and various ferromagnesian minerals

Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine

History

Origin

Hawaii Islands

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From French syénite, from Latin Syenites (lapis ) (stone) of Syene

From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy

Earthy, Rough

Color

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Roadstone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Shonkinite

Oceanite

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable

Host Rock for Lead

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.

Picrite 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-66.8

1 7

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Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Uneven

Streak

White

White, Greenish White or Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²189.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.72.75-2.92

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.6-2.8 g/cm³1.5-2.5 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

India, Russia

Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

South Africa

Europe

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

Iceland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil, Chile

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Syenite and Picrite Properties

Know all about Syenite and Picrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Syenite and Picrite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Syenite is Earthy whereas that of Picrite is Earthy, Rough. Syenite appears Banded and Foilated and Picrite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Syenite and Picrite is subvitreous to dull. Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Picrite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Syenite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Picrite are as a feed additive for livestock, as armour rock for sea walls, metallurgical flux, pottery, source of magnesia (mgo).