Definition
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Aphanitic
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Skeletal
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, 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, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
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
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
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.
Nephelinite 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
Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Flat
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Metallic
Vitreous to Metallic
Cleavage
Not Available
Imperfect
Toughness
Not Available
2.7
Specific Gravity
2.7
2.4-2.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Japan
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Rwanda, Tanzania
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Not Yet Found
Others
Not Yet Found
Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
All about Trachyte and Nephelinite Properties
Know all about Trachyte and Nephelinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Trachyte and Nephelinite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Trachyte is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Nephelinite is Aphanitic. Trachyte appears Banded and Nephelinite appears Skeletal. The luster of Trachyte is metallic while that of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic. Trachyte is available in black, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Trachyte are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).