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Tonalite and Shonkinite


Shonkinite and Tonalite


Definition

Definition
Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture  
Shonkinite is a rare, dark-coloured and intrusive igneous rock which contains augite and orthoclase feldspar as its primary constituents  

History
  
  

Origin
Tonale, Italy  
USA  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Unknown  

Etymology
From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1  
From the name of Shonkin Sag ranges in the Highwood Mountains of north-central Montana, US  

Class
Igneous Rocks  
Igneous Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic  
Not Applicable  

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Phaneritic  
Earthy  

Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White  
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
No  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
No  
No  

Acid Resistant
Yes  
No  

Appearance
Banded and Foilated  
Banded and Foilated  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration  
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, 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  
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, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories  

Medical Industry
Not Available  
Not Available  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork  
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork  

Types

Types
Dacite  
Not Available  

Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used  
Used  

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable  
Not Available  

Sculpture
Used  
Used  

Famous Sculptures
Not Available  
Not Available  

Pictographs
Not Used  
Used  

Petroglyphs
Not Used  
Used  

Figurines
Used  
Used  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

Formation
When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.  
Shonkinites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon  
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz  

Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
Yes  

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

Weathering
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
Wind Erosion  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7  
5.5-6  

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained  

Fracture
Conchoidal  
Not Available  

Streak
Bluish Black  
White  

Porosity
Very Less Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull  
Subvitreous to Dull  

Compressive Strength
Not Available  
150.00 N/mm2  
14

Cleavage
Not Available  
Perfect  

Toughness
2.1  
Not Available  

Specific Gravity
2.86-3  
2.6-2.7  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.73 g/cm3  
2.6-2.8 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K  
10
0.92 kJ/Kg K  
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Not Available  
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam  

Africa
Egypt  
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa  

Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey  
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland  

Others
Not Available  
Not Available  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA  
USA  

South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru  
Brazil, Chile  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia  
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia  

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Tonalite and Shonkinite Properties

Know all about Tonalite and Shonkinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Tonalite and Shonkinite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Tonalite is Phaneritic whereas that of Shonkinite is Earthy. Tonalite appears Banded and Foilated and Shonkinite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Tonalite and Shonkinite is subvitreous to dull. Tonalite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Shonkinite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Tonalite and Shonkinite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.

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