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Websterite and Porphyry


Porphyry and Websterite


Definition

Definition
Websterite is ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that consists of roughly equal proportions of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene. It is a special type of pyroxenite.   
Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix   

History
  
  

Origin
Webster, North Carolina   
Egypt   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the town of Webster located in North Carolina   
From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Plutonic   

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

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   
Porphyritic   

Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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   
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
Construction Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Rhomb Porphyry   

Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Websterite can be formed as cumulates in ultramafic intrusions by accumulation of pyroxene crystals at the base of the lava chamber.   
Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   
Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact 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, Not Registered   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
6-7   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Irregular   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   
Dull   

Cleavage
Irregular   
Imperfect   

Toughness
Not Available   
1.7   

Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5   
2.5-4   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   
2.5-2.52 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam   

Africa
South Africa   
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa   

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   
Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland   

Others
Greenland   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland   
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Websterite and Porphyry Properties

Know all about Websterite and Porphyry properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Websterite and Porphyry belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Websterite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Porphyry is Porphyritic. Websterite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Porphyry appears Dull. The luster of Websterite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Porphyry is dull. Websterite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Porphyry is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, red, rust, white colors. The commercial uses of Websterite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Porphyry are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.

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