Definition
Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
Origin
Tonale, Italy
Iran
Discoverer
Warren Hamilton
Unknown
Etymology
From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Granular, Graphic
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
Types
Dacite
Igneous rock
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.
Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.
Aplites belong to intrusive igneous rocks which are mostly quart and alkali feldspar and are formed from residual eutectic granitic liquids and represent the final crystallization products of magma.
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
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Streak
Bluish Black
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Specific Gravity
2.86-3
2.6
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.73 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
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
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
-
Tonalite vs Aplite 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. Tonalite vs Aplite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Tonalite and Properties of Aplite. Learn more about Tonalite vs Aplite in the next section. The interior uses of Tonalite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Aplite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Tonalite and Aplite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Tonalite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Aplite include As dimension stone.
More about Tonalite and Aplite
Here you can know more about Tonalite and Aplite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Tonalite and Aplite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Tonalite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon and mineral content of Aplite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Tonalite vs Aplite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Tonalite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas, Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Tonalite is Banded and Foilated and that of Aplite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Tonalite vs Aplite. The hardness of Tonalite is 6-7 and that of Aplite is 6.5. The types of Tonalite are Dacite whereas types of Aplite are Igneous rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Tonalite is bluish black while that of Aplite is white. The specific heat capacity of Tonalite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Aplite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Tonalite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Aplite is heat resistant, wear resistant.