Definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
History
Origin
-
Discoverer
Unknown
Etymology
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Glassy
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Maintenance
Less
Durability
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
81% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
86% - Igneous Rocks Rocks
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
66% - Igneous Rocks Rocks
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
49% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
48% - Igneous Rocks Rocks
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
Famous Monuments
-
Sculpture
-
Famous Sculptures
-
Pictographs
-
Petroglyphs
-
Figurines
-
Fossils
Absent
Formation
Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.
Composition
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
97% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
99% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
92% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
5-6
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Streak
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous
Compressive Strength
180.00 N/mm2
Rank: 18 (Overall)
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
Toughness
-
Specific Gravity
2.62-2.82
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent
Density
2.7-4 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K
Rank: 15 (Overall)
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
Africa
-
Europe
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Others
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
South America
Bolivia, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia