Definition
Tephrite is an aphanitic to porphyritic textured, volcanic igneous rock
Icelandite belongs to volcanic igneous rocks which is rich in iron and belongs to andesite rock
Discoverer
Van Tooren
Ian S. E. Carmichael
Etymology
From Greek tephra, ashes from Indo-European base, to burn
From its origin place near Cenozoic volcano near the parsonage Þingmúli in East Iceland
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Vesicular
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Landscaping
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Formation
Tephrite 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.
Icelandite 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.
Mineral Content
Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Streak
Bluish Black
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Vitreous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Crenulation and Pervasive
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.11-2.36 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea
Africa
Namibia, Uganda
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Mexico, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Tephrite vs Icelandite 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. Tephrite vs Icelandite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Tephrite and Properties of Icelandite. Learn more about Tephrite vs Icelandite in the next section. The interior uses of Tephrite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Icelandite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Tephrite and Icelandite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Tephrite in construction industry include Landscaping and that of Icelandite include Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Tephrite and Icelandite
Here you can know more about Tephrite and Icelandite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Tephrite and Icelandite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Tephrite includes Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Icelandite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Tephrite vs Icelandite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Tephrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas, Icelandite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors. Appearance of Tephrite is Vesicular and that of Icelandite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Tephrite vs Icelandite. The hardness of Tephrite is 6.5 and that of Icelandite is 7. The types of Tephrite are Not Available whereas types of Icelandite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Tephrite is bluish black while that of Icelandite is white. The specific heat capacity of Tephrite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Icelandite is 2.39 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Tephrite is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Icelandite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant.