Definition
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth
Discoverer
Alois Wehrle
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
From diatom + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Grey, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Non-Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Types
Ultramafic rock
Diatomite
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.
Mineral Content
Pyroxene
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Ca, NaCl, CaO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact 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, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
8.4
2.3-2.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
2.49-2.51 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Wehrlite vs Diatomite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Wehrlite vs Diatomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Wehrlite and Properties of Diatomite. Learn more about Wehrlite vs Diatomite in the next section. The interior uses of Wehrlite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diatomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Wehrlite and Diatomite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Wehrlite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones and that of Diatomite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium.
More about Wehrlite and Diatomite
Here you can know more about Wehrlite and Diatomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Wehrlite and Diatomite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Wehrlite includes Pyroxene and mineral content of Diatomite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Wehrlite vs Diatomite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors whereas, Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Wehrlite is Rough and Banded and that of Diatomite is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Wehrlite vs Diatomite. The hardness of Wehrlite is 5.5-6 and that of Diatomite is 1. The types of Wehrlite are Ultramafic rock whereas types of Diatomite are Diatomite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Wehrlite and Diatomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Wehrlite is 0.63 kJ/Kg K and that of Diatomite is 0.90 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Wehrlite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Diatomite is heat resistant.