Definition
Tephrite is an aphanitic to porphyritic textured, volcanic igneous rock
Minette is a variety of Lamprophyre and is porphyritic alkaline igneous rock which is mainly dominated by biotite and potassic feldspar
Discoverer
Van Tooren
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek tephra, ashes from Indo-European base, to burn
From French mine ore, mine + ette
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Vesicular
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Landscaping
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
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.
Minette formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Mineral Content
Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium 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, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
Bluish Black
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Crenulation and Pervasive
Conchoidal
Toughness
2.4
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
Russia
Africa
Namibia, Uganda
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Tephrite vs Minette 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 Minette characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Tephrite and Properties of Minette. Learn more about Tephrite vs Minette in the next section. The interior uses of Tephrite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Minette include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Tephrite and Minette, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Tephrite in construction industry include Landscaping and that of Minette include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Tephrite and Minette
Here you can know more about Tephrite and Minette. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Tephrite and Minette consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Tephrite includes Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Minette includes Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all . When we have to compare Tephrite vs Minette, 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, Minette is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Tephrite is Vesicular and that of Minette is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Tephrite vs Minette. The hardness of Tephrite is 6.5 and that of Minette is 5-6. The types of Tephrite are Not Available whereas types of Minette are Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite. 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 Minette is white. The specific heat capacity of Tephrite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Minette is Not Available. 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 Minette is heat resistant, impact resistant.