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Variolite and Vogesite


Vogesite and Variolite


Definition

Definition
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   
Vogesite is a porphyritic alkaline igneous rock and is a variety of Lamprophyre which is dominated by essential amphibole, usually hornblende, and potassic feldspar   

History
  
  

Origin
France   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Latin varius, speckled, variegated   
From the variety of Lamprophyre Greek lampros bright and shining + porphureos purple   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular   
Porphyritic   

Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey   
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Dull and Soft   
Dull, Banded and Foilated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens   
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite   

Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock   
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.   
Vogesite formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
No   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6   
5-6   

Grain Size
Not Applicable   
Fine to Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White to Grey   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Very Less Porous   

Luster
Not Available   
Subvitreous to Dull   

Compressive Strength
37.50 N/mm2   
27
Not Available   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Conchoidal   

Toughness
2.3   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.8-3   
2.86-2.87   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3   
2.95-2.96 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K   
15
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
Russia   

Africa
South Africa   
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa   

Europe
Iceland   
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Antarctica, Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, Mexico, USA   

South America
Brazil   
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Variolite and Vogesite Properties

Know all about Variolite and Vogesite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Variolite and Vogesite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Variolite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular whereas that of Vogesite is Porphyritic. Variolite appears Dull and Soft and Vogesite appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Variolite is not available while that of Vogesite is subvitreous to dull. Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Vogesite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Variolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Vogesite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).

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