Travertine

Variolite

Travertine and Variolite

Travertine

Variolite

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Definition

Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters

Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance

History

Origin

Italy

France

Discoverer

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Unknown

Etymology

From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy

From Latin varius, speckled, variegated

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque 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

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Fibrous

Dull and Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

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, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Thermal Travertine and Tufa

Metamorphic rock

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

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

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.

Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.

Composition

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-46

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Splintery

Conchoidal

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Dull to Pearly

Compressive Strength

80.00 N/mm²37.50 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

2.3

Specific Gravity

1.682.8-3

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.71 g/cm³2.9-3.1 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.09 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, Russia

India, Russia

Africa

South Africa

Europe

Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom

Iceland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

All about Travertine and Variolite Properties

Know all about Travertine and Variolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Travertine belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Variolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Travertine is Banded whereas that of Variolite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Travertine appears Fibrous and Variolite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Travertine is dull to pearly while that of Variolite is . Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors whereas Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Travertine and Variolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, paper industry, pottery.