Definition
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
Hornblendite is a type of igneous plutonic rock consisting mainly of amphibole hornblende and is a type of Amphibolite rock
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
From German, Horn horn + blende
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Foliated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Felsic volcanic rock
Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
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.
Hornblendite 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
Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite
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
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional 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
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
-
Irregular to Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Metallic
Vitreous to Dull
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Russia, Turkey
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
South Australia, Western Australia
Trachyte vs Hornblendite 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 Hornblendite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Trachyte and Properties of Hornblendite. Learn more about Trachyte vs Hornblendite in the next section. The interior uses of Trachyte include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Hornblendite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Trachyte and Hornblendite, 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 Hornblendite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Production of glass and ceramics, Roadstone.
More about Trachyte and Hornblendite
Here you can know more about Trachyte and Hornblendite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Trachyte and Hornblendite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Trachyte includes Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz and mineral content of Hornblendite includes Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Trachyte vs Hornblendite, 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, Hornblendite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. Appearance of Trachyte is Banded and that of Hornblendite is Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Trachyte vs Hornblendite. The hardness of Trachyte is 6 and that of Hornblendite is 6-7. The types of Trachyte are Felsic volcanic rock whereas types of Hornblendite are Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Trachyte is white while that of Hornblendite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Trachyte is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Hornblendite is 0.84 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 Hornblendite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.