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
  
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
  
History
  
  
Origin
France
  
Mount Kenya
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
J. W. Gregory
  
Etymology
From Latin varius, speckled, variegated
  
From the mountain ranges- Mount Kenya and is named by J. W. Gregory in 1900
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
  
Glassy, Granular
  
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
  
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Appearance
Dull and Soft
  
Banded and Foilated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
  
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
  
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, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, 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
  
  
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
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.
  
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.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
  
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, 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, Impact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering
  
Erosion
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6
  
5.5-6
  
Grain Size
Not Applicable
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
White to Grey
  
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Not Available
  
Greasy to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
37.50 N/mm2
  
27
150.00 N/mm2
  
14
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Poor
  
Toughness
2.3
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
  
2.6
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
  
2.6 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, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
India, Russia
  
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
  
Africa
South Africa
  
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Iceland
  
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
Brazil
  
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Not Yet Found
  
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia
  
Variolite vs Kenyte 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. Variolite vs Kenyte characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Variolite and Properties of Kenyte. Learn more about Variolite vs Kenyte in the next section. The interior uses of Variolite include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Kenyte include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Variolite and Kenyte, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Variolite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Kenyte include 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.
More about Variolite and Kenyte
Here you can know more about Variolite and Kenyte. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Variolite and Kenyte consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Variolite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Kenyte includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Variolite vs Kenyte, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas, Kenyte is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Variolite is Dull and Soft and that of Kenyte is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Variolite vs Kenyte. The hardness of Variolite is 6 and that of Kenyte is 5.5-6. The types of Variolite are Not Available whereas types of Kenyte are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Variolite is white to grey while that of Kenyte is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Variolite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Kenyte is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Variolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Kenyte is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.