Definition
Websterite is ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that consists of roughly equal proportions of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene. It is a special type of pyroxenite.
Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene
Origin
Webster, North Carolina
-
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the town of Webster located in North Carolina
From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous 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
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Phaneritic
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, 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
Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Ultramafic rock
Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Typically speckled black and white.
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Websterite can be formed as cumulates in ultramafic intrusions by accumulation of pyroxene crystals at the base of the lava chamber.
Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock which contains large interlocking and randomly oriented crystals and forms when molten lava does not reach the Earth’s surface and cools down in the Earth’s crust.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
Bluish Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Shiny
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
2.8-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
South Africa
Egypt
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand, Western Australia
All about Websterite and Diorite Properties
Know all about Websterite and Diorite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Websterite and Diorite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Websterite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Diorite is Phaneritic. Websterite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Diorite appears Shiny. The luster of Websterite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Diorite is shiny. Websterite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Websterite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Diorite are creating artwork, curling.