Definition
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance
History
Origin
France
Discoverer
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin varius, speckled, variegated
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
Volcanic
Other Categories
Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Maintenance
Less
Durability
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
81% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
86% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
66% - Igneous Rocks Rocks
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
49% - Igneous Rocks Rocks
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
48% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Architecture
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Metamorphic rock
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
Famous Monuments
-
Sculpture
-
Famous Sculptures
-
Pictographs
-
Petroglyphs
-
Figurines
-
Fossils
Absent
Formation
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.
Composition
Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
97% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
99% - Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
92% - Igneous Rocks Rocks
Types of Erosion
-
Physical Properties
Hardness
6
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
-
Fracture
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Luster
-
Compressive Strength
37.50 N/mm2
Rank: 41 (Overall)
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
Toughness
2.3
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K
Rank: 15 (Overall)
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Africa
South Africa
Europe
Iceland
Others
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-