Definition
Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters
Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth
Discoverer
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
Georgius Agricola
Etymology
From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Fibrous
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums
Types
Thermal Travertine and Tufa
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India
Formation
Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.
Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
-
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Splintery
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
1.68
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.71 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, Russia
India, Russia
Europe
Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom
Iceland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
All about Travertine and Basalt Properties
Know all about Travertine and Basalt properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Travertine belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Basalt belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Travertine is Banded whereas that of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Travertine appears Fibrous and Basalt appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Travertine is dull to pearly while that of Basalt is . Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors whereas Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Travertine are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, paper industry, pottery and that of Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums.