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What is Anorthosite?



Definition

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

Texture
Foliated, Glassy

Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance
Less

Durability
Durable

Water Resistant
Yes

Scratch Resistant
No

Stain Resistant
No

Wind Resistant
Yes

Acid Resistant
No

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

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

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

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
Yes

Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering
Yes

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering

Erosion
Yes

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness
5-6

Grain Size
Coarse Grained

Fracture
Irregular

Streak
White

Porosity
Less Porous

Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous

Compressive Strength
180.00 N/mm2 18

Cleavage
-

Toughness
-

Specific Gravity
2.62-2.82

Transparency
Translucent

Density
2.7-4 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K 15

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

Igneous Rocks

Learn more about Properties of Anorthosite

What is Anorthosite? In this section, we will learn more about properties of Anorthosite i.e. physical and thermal properties. Physical properties of Anorthosite include Color, Streak, Hardness, Structure, Cleavage, Fracture, Luster, Specific Gravity etc. The strength of Anorthosite is 180.00 N/mm2. Streak of Anorthosite is white while its cleavage is . Luster of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous and its fracture is irregular. Anorthosite is translucent in nature. Know all about Anorthosite, What is Anorthosite, its composition, features, facts and reserves in next sections.

Know about Composition of Anorthosite

What is Anorthosite composed of? Get to know about composition of Anorthosite here. Anorthosite definition gives information about the Formation of Anorthosite and its composition.The composition of Anorthosite can be further divided into mineral and compound content. The mineral content of Anorthosite rock includes Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene and The compound content of Anorthosite rock includes Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide. Almost all rocks undergo transformation process. Know all about Anorthosite rock in next section.

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