Definition
Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone
Origin
Tonale, Italy
Pennines, England
Discoverer
Unknown
J.J. Ferber
Etymology
From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1
From Grit + Stone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Earthy
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Layered and Foliated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Construction Aggregate, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Types
Dacite
Not Available
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
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
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Formation
When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.
Gritstone is a type of sedimentary rock which was formed on the floors of wide river deltas where the grit deposits were laid down, with every tide or flood dumping another layer of sediment.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
Bluish Black
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Perfect
Toughness
2.1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-3
2.250
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.73 g/cm3
2.2 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Egypt
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
All about Tonalite and Gritstone Properties
Know all about Tonalite and Gritstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Tonalite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Gritstone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Tonalite is Phaneritic whereas that of Gritstone is Earthy. Tonalite appears Banded and Foilated and Gritstone appears Layered and Foliated. The luster of Tonalite is subvitreous to dull while that of Gritstone is dull. Tonalite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Gritstone is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Tonalite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Gritstone are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones.