Definition
Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters
Kenyte is a variety of porphyritic phonolite or trachyte rock with rhomb shaped phenocrysts of anorthoclase with variable olivine and augite in a glassy matrix
Discoverer
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
J. W. Gregory
Etymology
From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy
From the mountain ranges- Mount Kenya and is named by J. W. Gregory in 1900
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded
Glassy, Granular
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Fibrous
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
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.
Kenyte 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
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
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
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Splintery
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Greasy to Dull
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Poor
Toughness
1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
1.68
2.6
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.71 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, Russia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
Africa
Not Yet Found
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom
Andorra, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia
All about Travertine and Kenyte Properties
Know all about Travertine and Kenyte properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Travertine belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Kenyte belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Travertine is Banded whereas that of Kenyte is Glassy, Granular. Travertine appears Fibrous and Kenyte appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Travertine is dull to pearly while that of Kenyte is greasy to dull. Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors whereas Kenyte is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Travertine and Kenyte are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, paper industry, pottery.