Definition
Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters
Websterite is ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that consists of roughly equal proportions of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene. It is a special type of pyroxenite.
Origin
Italy
Webster, North Carolina
Discoverer
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
Unknown
Etymology
From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy
From the town of Webster located in North Carolina
Class
Sedimentary 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
Banded
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Fibrous
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing 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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Thermal Travertine and Tufa
Ultramafic rock
Features
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
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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.
Websterite can be formed as cumulates in ultramafic intrusions by accumulation of pyroxene crystals at the base of the lava chamber.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Impact 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
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Splintery
Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Specific Gravity
1.68
3.2-3.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.71 g/cm3
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, Russia
India, Russia
Europe
Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
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New Zealand, Queensland
Travertine vs Websterite 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. Travertine vs Websterite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Travertine and Properties of Websterite. Learn more about Travertine vs Websterite in the next section. The interior uses of Travertine include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Websterite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Travertine and Websterite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Travertine in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Websterite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Travertine and Websterite
Here you can know more about Travertine and Websterite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Travertine and Websterite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Travertine includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz and mineral content of Websterite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Travertine vs Websterite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors whereas, Websterite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Travertine is Fibrous and that of Websterite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Travertine vs Websterite. The hardness of Travertine is 3-4 and that of Websterite is 7. The types of Travertine are Thermal Travertine and Tufa whereas types of Websterite are Ultramafic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Travertine is white while that of Websterite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Travertine is 1.09 kJ/Kg K and that of Websterite 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.Travertine is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Websterite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.