Definition
Theralite is a plutonic hylocrystalline igneous rock consisting of augite, olivine, calcic plagioclase and nepheline
Mugearite is a type of oligoclase bearing basalt, also comprising of olivine, apatite, and opaque oxides
Discoverer
Unknown
Alfred Harker
Etymology
From Greek to pursue
From mugear + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Creating Artwork
Types
Teschenite and Essexite
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Smooth to touch
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Theralite 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.
Mugearite forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
Mineral Content
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Grain Size
Fine Grained
-
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.8-3
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
India, Russia
Africa
South Africa
South Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Iceland
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
-
Theralite vs Mugearite 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. Theralite vs Mugearite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Theralite and Properties of Mugearite. Learn more about Theralite vs Mugearite in the next section. The interior uses of Theralite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Mugearite include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes and Hotels. Due to some exceptional properties of Theralite and Mugearite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Theralite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Mugearite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Theralite and Mugearite
Here you can know more about Theralite and Mugearite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Theralite and Mugearite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Theralite includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Mugearite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Theralite vs Mugearite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Theralite is available in dark grey to black colors whereas, Mugearite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Theralite is Veined and Shiny and that of Mugearite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Theralite vs Mugearite. The hardness of Theralite is 7 and that of Mugearite is 6. The types of Theralite are Teschenite and Essexite whereas types of Mugearite are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Theralite is white while that of Mugearite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Theralite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Mugearite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Theralite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Mugearite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.