Definition
Websterite is ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that consists of roughly equal proportions of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene. It is a special type of pyroxenite.
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Origin
Webster, North Carolina
Germany
Discoverer
Unknown
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
From the town of Webster located in North Carolina
From Greek di + base
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Aphanitic, Granular
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, 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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Ultramafic rock
Dolerite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
-
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Formation
Websterite can be formed as cumulates in ultramafic intrusions by accumulation of pyroxene crystals at the base of the lava chamber.
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
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
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
-
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
South Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Greenland
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
All about Websterite and Diabase Properties
Know all about Websterite and Diabase properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Websterite and Diabase belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Websterite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular. Websterite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Diabase appears Vesicular. The luster of Websterite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Diabase is . Websterite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Websterite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Diabase are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.