Wehrlite and Lherzolite
Definition
Definition
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
Lherzolite is a type of ultramafic igneous rock which contains essential olivine and clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene in equal proportions
History
Origin
Egypt
France
Discoverer
Alois Wehrle
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
From the Lherz Massif, an alpine peridotite complex, at Étang de Lers, near Massat in the French Pyrenees; Lherz is the archaic spelling of this location
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Banded
Grenue
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Pink, Purple
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
Yes
No
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Stain Resistant
Yes
Yes
Wind Resistant
No
No
Acid Resistant
No
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Landscaping, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
NA
Not Available
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
As armour rock for sea walls, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Used in aquariums
Types
Types
Not Available
Garnet Lherzolite
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Available
Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Used
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
Formation
Wehrlite 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.
Lherzolite 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
Pyroxene
Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Cr, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO
Transformation
Metamorphism
Yes
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
5.5-6
6.5
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Metallic
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
290.00 N/mm2
3
Cleavage
Perfect
Perfect
Toughness
2.1
2.7
Specific Gravity
8.4
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.63 kJ/Kg K
21
0.95 kJ/Kg K
9
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Russia, South Korea
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
United Kingdom
Others
Not Available
Not Available
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil
Not Available
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Wehrlite and Lherzolite Properties
Know all about Wehrlite and Lherzolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Wehrlite and Lherzolite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Wehrlite is Banded whereas that of Lherzolite is Grenue. Wehrlite appears Rough and Banded and Lherzolite appears Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Wehrlite is metallic while that of Lherzolite is subvitreous to dull. Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors whereas Lherzolite is available in black, dark greenish - grey, green, pink, purple colors. The commercial uses of Wehrlite are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry and that of Lherzolite are as armour rock for sea walls, source of magnesia (mgo), used in aquariums.
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