Definition
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
Dacite is a volcanic igneous rock which is rintermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite
Origin
-
Romania and Moldova, Europe
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
From Dacia, a province of the Roman Empire which lay between the Danube River and Carpathian Mountains where the rock was first described
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
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, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Felsic volcanic rock
Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Host Rock for Lead, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Dacitic magma is formed by the subduction of young oceanic crust under a thick felsic continental plate. Further, the Oceanic crust is hydrothermally altered as quartz and sodium are added.
Mineral Content
Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Metallic
Subvitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.7
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
2.77-2.771 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
-
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
-
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
France, Greece, Romania, Scotland, Spain
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Brazil, Chile
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
Trachyte vs Dacite 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. Trachyte vs Dacite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Trachyte and Properties of Dacite. Learn more about Trachyte vs Dacite in the next section. The interior uses of Trachyte include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Dacite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Trachyte and Dacite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Trachyte in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Dacite include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping.
More about Trachyte and Dacite
Here you can know more about Trachyte and Dacite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Trachyte and Dacite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Trachyte includes Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz and mineral content of Dacite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Trachyte vs Dacite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Trachyte is available in black, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey, light to dark grey, white colors whereas, Dacite is available in bluish - grey, brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Trachyte is Banded and that of Dacite is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Trachyte vs Dacite. The hardness of Trachyte is 6 and that of Dacite is 2-2.25. The types of Trachyte are Felsic volcanic rock whereas types of Dacite are Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Trachyte and Dacite is white. The specific heat capacity of Trachyte is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Dacite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Trachyte is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Dacite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.