Trachyte and Kenyte

Trachyte

Kenyte

Definition

Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar

Kenyte is a variety of porphyritic phonolite or trachyte rock with rhomb shaped phenocrysts of anorthoclase with variable olivine and augite in a glassy matrix

History

Origin

Unknown

Mount Kenya

Discoverer

Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy

J. W. Gregory

Etymology

From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness

From the mountain ranges- Mount Kenya and is named by J. W. Gregory in 1900

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Glassy, Granular

Color

Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Banded

Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Not Available

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Trachyte is an igneous volcanic rock with an aphanitic to porphyritic texture. It is the volcanic equivalent of syenite rock and forms as a result of magmatic differentiation.

Kenyte 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

Compound Content

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Not Available

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

White

White, Greenish White or Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Metallic

Greasy to Dull

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Not Available

Poor

Toughness

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.7

2.6

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.43-2.45 g/cm³

2.6 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam

Africa

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

Europe

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

Andorra, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

Others

Not Yet Found

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil, Chile

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

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

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Trachyte and Kenyte Properties

Know all about Trachyte and Kenyte properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Trachyte and Kenyte belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Trachyte is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Kenyte is Glassy, Granular. Trachyte appears Banded and Kenyte appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Trachyte is metallic while that of Kenyte is greasy to dull. Trachyte is available in black, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Kenyte is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Trachyte and Kenyte are cemetery markers, creating artwork.