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What is Dunite?



Definition

Definition
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

History

Origin
New Zealand

Discoverer
Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Etymology
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

Class
Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group
Plutonic

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Texture
Phaneritic

Color
Dark Greenish - Grey

Maintenance
Less

Durability
Durable

Water Resistant
Yes

Scratch Resistant
Yes

Stain Resistant
Yes

Wind Resistant
No

Acid Resistant
No

Appearance
Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry
-

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Types

Types
Dunite

Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments
-

Famous Monuments
-

Sculpture
-

Famous Sculptures
-

Pictographs
-

Petroglyphs
-

Figurines
-

Fossils
Absent

Formation

Formation
Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Composition

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism
Yes

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering
Yes

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion
Yes

Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness
3.5-4

Grain Size
Coarse Grained

Fracture
Irregular

Streak
White

Porosity
Less Porous

Luster
Shiny

Compressive Strength
107.55 N/mm2 28

Cleavage
-

Toughness
2.1

Specific Gravity
3-3.01

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque

Density
2.84-2.85 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity
1.25 kJ/Kg K 6

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa
Morocco, South Africa

Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland

Others
-

Deposits in Western Continents

North America
Canada, USA

South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>
<< Reserves

Igneous Rocks

Learn more about Properties of Dunite

What is Dunite? In this section, we will learn more about properties of Dunite i.e. physical and thermal properties. Physical properties of Dunite include Color, Streak, Hardness, Structure, Cleavage, Fracture, Luster, Specific Gravity etc. The strength of Dunite is 107.55 N/mm2. Streak of Dunite is white while its cleavage is . Luster of Dunite is shiny and its fracture is irregular. Dunite is translucent to opaque in nature. Know all about Dunite, What is Dunite, its composition, features, facts and reserves in next sections.

Know about Composition of Dunite

What is Dunite composed of? Get to know about composition of Dunite here. Dunite definition gives information about the Formation of Dunite and its composition.The composition of Dunite can be further divided into mineral and compound content. The mineral content of Dunite rock includes Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and The compound content of Dunite rock includes Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide. Almost all rocks undergo transformation process. Know all about Dunite rock in next section.

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