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Websterite and Tachylite


Tachylite 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.   
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt   

History
  
  

Origin
Webster, North Carolina   
Iceland   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the town of Webster located in North Carolina   
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Volcanic   

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

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   
Vitreous   

Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey   
Black, Dark Brown   

Maintenance
Less   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Glassy   

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   
As Building Stone, As Facing 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   
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, NA   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet 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.   
Tachylite 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
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   
Feldspar, Olivine   

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

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, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
5.5   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
Vermilion   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   
Resinous   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
206.00 N/mm2   
8

Cleavage
Irregular   
Not Available   

Toughness
Not Available   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5   
2.4   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   
3.058 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.56 kJ/Kg K   
22

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea   

Africa
South Africa   
East Africa   

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden   

Others
Greenland   
Hawaii Islands   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland   
Victoria   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Websterite and Tachylite Properties

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

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