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
  
History
  
  
Origin
Egypt
  
Germany
  
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
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Not Applicable
  
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
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Non-Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough and Banded
  
Soft
  
Architecture
  
  
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
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium
  
Medical Industry
NA
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
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
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
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
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Present
  
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.
  
Composition
  
  
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
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
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, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5.5-6
  
1
  
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Irregular
  
Not Available
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Metallic
  
Dull
  
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
2.1
  
1
  
Specific Gravity
8.4
  
2.3-2.4
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
  
2.49-2.51 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.63 kJ/Kg K
  
21
0.90 kJ/Kg K
  
12
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, Venezuela
  
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
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, Tonga, 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 Not Available whereas types of Diatomite are Not Available. 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.