Tonalite and Dunite

Tonalite

Dunite

Definition

Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

History

Origin

Tonale, Italy

New Zealand

Discoverer

Unknown

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Etymology

From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1

From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

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

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Dark Greenish - Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, 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, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Types

Dacite

Not Available

Features

Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Not Yet Used

Used

Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Composition

Mineral Content

Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

NaCl, CaO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

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

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Wind Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

3.5-4

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

Bluish Black

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Shiny

Compressive Strength

Not Available

107.55 N/mm²

Cleavage

Not Available

Imperfect

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.86-3

3-3.01

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.73 g/cm³

2.84-2.85 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K

1.25 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Not Yet Found

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

Egypt

Morocco, South Africa

Europe

Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Tonalite and Dunite Properties

Know all about Tonalite and Dunite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Tonalite and Dunite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Tonalite is Phaneritic whereas that of Dunite is Phaneritic. Tonalite appears Banded and Foilated and Dunite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Tonalite is subvitreous to dull while that of Dunite is shiny. Tonalite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. The commercial uses of Tonalite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds.