Definition
Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture
Shoshonite is a basaltic rock, properly a potassic trachyandesite, composed of olivine, augite and plagioclase phenocrysts in a groundmass with calcic plagioclase and sanidine and some dark-colored volcanic glass
Origin
Tonale, Italy
Wyoming,USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Iddings
Etymology
From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
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
Phaneritic
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Brown- Black, Dark Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Dacite
Not Available
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Formation
When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.
Shoshonite 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.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Pyroxene
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
Bluish Black
White to Grey
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull
Cleavage
Not Available
Poor
Specific Gravity
2.86-3
2.98
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.73 g/cm3
2.9-3 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
India, Russia
Africa
Egypt
South Africa
Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey
Iceland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
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
Not Yet Found
Tonalite vs Shoshonite 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 Shoshonite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Tonalite and Properties of Shoshonite. Learn more about Tonalite vs Shoshonite in the next section. The interior uses of Tonalite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Shoshonite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Tonalite and Shoshonite, 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 Shoshonite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Tonalite and Shoshonite
Here you can know more about Tonalite and Shoshonite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Tonalite and Shoshonite 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 Shoshonite includes Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Tonalite vs Shoshonite, 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, Shoshonite is available in brown- black, dark brown colors. Appearance of Tonalite is Banded and Foilated and that of Shoshonite is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Tonalite vs Shoshonite. The hardness of Tonalite is 6-7 and that of Shoshonite is 6. The types of Tonalite are Dacite whereas types of Shoshonite are Not Available. 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 Shoshonite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Tonalite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Shoshonite is Not Available. 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 Shoshonite is heat resistant, pressure resistant.