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
Theralite is a plutonic hylocrystalline igneous rock consisting of augite, olivine, calcic plagioclase and nepheline
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin varius, speckled, variegated
From Greek to pursue
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Phaneritic
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Not Available
Teschenite and Essexite
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
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.
Theralite 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.
Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Not Applicable
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Not Available
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
India, Russia
Africa
South Africa
South Africa
Europe
Iceland
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New Zealand, Queensland
Variolite vs Theralite 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 Theralite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Variolite and Properties of Theralite. Learn more about Variolite vs Theralite in the next section. The interior uses of Variolite include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Theralite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Variolite and Theralite, 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 Theralite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Variolite and Theralite
Here you can know more about Variolite and Theralite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Variolite and Theralite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Variolite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Theralite includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Variolite vs Theralite, 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, Theralite is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Variolite is Dull and Soft and that of Theralite is Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Variolite vs Theralite. The hardness of Variolite is 6 and that of Theralite is 7. The types of Variolite are Not Available whereas types of Theralite are Teschenite and Essexite. 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 Theralite is white. The specific heat capacity of Variolite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Theralite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K. 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 Theralite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.