Definition
Syenite is a coarse-grained igneous rock which is composed mainly of alkali feldspar and various ferromagnesian minerals
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
From French syénite, from Latin Syenites (lapis ) (stone) of Syene
From Greek di + base
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, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Aphanitic, Granular
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Shonkinite
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
1.6
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
India
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Syenite vs Diabase 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. Syenite vs Diabase characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Syenite and Properties of Diabase. Learn more about Syenite vs Diabase in the next section. The interior uses of Syenite include Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Syenite and Diabase, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Syenite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Diabase include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Syenite and Diabase
Here you can know more about Syenite and Diabase. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Syenite and Diabase consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Syenite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Syenite vs Diabase, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Syenite is Banded and Foilated and that of Diabase is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Syenite vs Diabase. The hardness of Syenite is 5.5-6 and that of Diabase is 7. The types of Syenite are Shonkinite whereas types of Diabase are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Syenite is white while that of Diabase is black. The specific heat capacity of Syenite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Diabase is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Syenite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Diabase is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.