Definition
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
Rapakivi Granite is a hornblende-biotite Granite containing large rounded crystals of orthoclase which are mantled with oligoclase
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
Jakob Sederholm
Etymology
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
From Finnish Rapakivi which stands for crumbly rock
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, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Granular, Phaneritic
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings, Paving Stone, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
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
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones
Types
Felsic volcanic rock
Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite and Hybrid Granite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest 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.
Granite is an igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks
Mineral Content
Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
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
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Metallic
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous
Specific Gravity
2.7
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
-
Trachyte vs Rapakivi Granite 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 Rapakivi Granite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Trachyte and Properties of Rapakivi Granite. Learn more about Trachyte vs Rapakivi Granite in the next section. The interior uses of Trachyte include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Rapakivi Granite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Trachyte and Rapakivi Granite, 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 Rapakivi Granite include As dimension stone.
More about Trachyte and Rapakivi Granite
Here you can know more about Trachyte and Rapakivi Granite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Trachyte and Rapakivi Granite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Trachyte includes Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz and mineral content of Rapakivi Granite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Trachyte vs Rapakivi Granite, 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, Rapakivi Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Trachyte is Banded and that of Rapakivi Granite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Trachyte vs Rapakivi Granite. The hardness of Trachyte is 6 and that of Rapakivi Granite is 6-7. The types of Trachyte are Felsic volcanic rock whereas types of Rapakivi Granite are Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite and Hybrid Granite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Trachyte and Rapakivi Granite is white. The specific heat capacity of Trachyte is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Rapakivi Granite is 0.79 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 Rapakivi Granite is heat resistant, wear resistant.