Definition
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
Foidolite is a rare type of coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock with a feldspathoid mineral content greater than 60%
Discoverer
Alois Wehrle
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
From the mineral feldspathoid which is the main content of rock
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, 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
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Ultramafic rock
Igneous rock
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
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.
Foidolites 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.
Mineral Content
Pyroxene
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
-
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Metallic
Subvitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
8.4
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Russia
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Wehrlite vs Foidolite 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 Foidolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Wehrlite and Properties of Foidolite. Learn more about Wehrlite vs Foidolite in the next section. The interior uses of Wehrlite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Foidolite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Wehrlite and Foidolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Wehrlite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones and that of Foidolite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate.
More about Wehrlite and Foidolite
Here you can know more about Wehrlite and Foidolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Wehrlite and Foidolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Wehrlite includes Pyroxene and mineral content of Foidolite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Wehrlite vs Foidolite, 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, Foidolite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Wehrlite is Rough and Banded and that of Foidolite is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Wehrlite vs Foidolite. The hardness of Wehrlite is 5.5-6 and that of Foidolite is 1.5. The types of Wehrlite are Ultramafic rock whereas types of Foidolite are Igneous rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Wehrlite and Foidolite is white. The specific heat capacity of Wehrlite is 0.63 kJ/Kg K and that of Foidolite is 0.79 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 Foidolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.