Definition
Troctolite is a mafic intrusive rock type. It consists essentially of major but variable amounts of olivine and calcic plagioclase along with minor pyroxene. It is an olivine-rich anorthosite, or a pyroxene-depleted relative of gabbro
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
Alexandre Brongniart
Etymology
From German Troklotit, from Greek trōktēs, a marine fish (taken to be trout)
From Amphibole + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Foliated
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Ultramafic rock
Hornblendite
Features
Smooth to touch
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Troctolite 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.
Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.
Mineral Content
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular to Conchoidal
Streak
Black
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
-
Vitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Russia, Turkey
Africa
South Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
South Australia, Western Australia
Troctolite vs Amphibolite 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. Troctolite vs Amphibolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Troctolite and Properties of Amphibolite. Learn more about Troctolite vs Amphibolite in the next section. The interior uses of Troctolite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Amphibolite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Troctolite and Amphibolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Troctolite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Amphibolite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Production of glass and ceramics, Roadstone.
More about Troctolite and Amphibolite
Here you can know more about Troctolite and Amphibolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Troctolite and Amphibolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Troctolite includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Amphibolite includes Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Troctolite vs Amphibolite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Troctolite is available in dark grey to black colors whereas, Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. Appearance of Troctolite is Veined and Shiny and that of Amphibolite is Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Troctolite vs Amphibolite. The hardness of Troctolite is 7 and that of Amphibolite is 6-7. The types of Troctolite are Ultramafic rock whereas types of Amphibolite are Hornblendite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Troctolite is black while that of Amphibolite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Troctolite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Amphibolite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Troctolite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Amphibolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.