Definition
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
Rapakivi Granite is a hornblende-biotite Granite containing large rounded crystals of orthoclase which are mantled with oligoclase
Origin
Egypt
Finland, Europe
Discoverer
Alois Wehrle
Jakob Sederholm
Etymology
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
From Finnish Rapakivi which stands for crumbly rock
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded
Granular, Phaneritic
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings, Paving Stone, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
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Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
As Dimension Stone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones
Types
Ultramafic rock
Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite and Hybrid Granite
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest 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.
Granite is an igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks
Mineral Content
Pyroxene
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
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, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Metallic
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous
Specific Gravity
8.4
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
2.6-2.8 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
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
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Wehrlite vs Rapakivi Granite 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 Rapakivi Granite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Wehrlite and Properties of Rapakivi Granite. Learn more about Wehrlite vs Rapakivi Granite in the next section. The interior uses of Wehrlite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Rapakivi Granite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Wehrlite and Rapakivi Granite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Wehrlite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones and that of Rapakivi Granite include As dimension stone.
More about Wehrlite and Rapakivi Granite
Here you can know more about Wehrlite and Rapakivi Granite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Wehrlite and Rapakivi Granite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Wehrlite includes Pyroxene and mineral content of Rapakivi Granite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Wehrlite vs Rapakivi Granite, 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, Rapakivi Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Wehrlite is Rough and Banded and that of Rapakivi Granite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Wehrlite vs Rapakivi Granite. The hardness of Wehrlite is 5.5-6 and that of Rapakivi Granite is 6-7. The types of Wehrlite are Ultramafic rock whereas types of Rapakivi Granite are Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite and Hybrid Granite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Wehrlite and Rapakivi Granite is white. The specific heat capacity of Wehrlite is 0.63 kJ/Kg K and that of Rapakivi Granite 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 Rapakivi Granite is heat resistant, wear resistant.