Which texture is commonly found in aplite rocks?
Aplite is a medium- to fine-grained rock (average grain size usually 1.0 mm or less) with a characteristic equigranular, sugary (saccharoidal) texture.
What is the texture of aplite?
The term aplite or aplitic is often used as a textural term to describe veins of quartz and feldspar with a fine to medium-grain “sugary” texture. Aplites are usually very fine-grained, white, grey or pinkish, and their constituents are visible only with the help of a magnifying lens.
What minerals are in aplite?
Aplite is an intrusive igneous rock, hard, and the fine-grain equivalent of granite. Aplite is and composed mainly of quartz and alkali-feldspar with very small amounts of muscovite and biotite. Aplite is mostly fine grain, white to light gray in color.
What is aplite used for?
Also known as haplite, aplite is an intrusive igneous rock that chiefly consists of quartz and feldspars. Fine-grained and granitic, the material is sometimes utilized in the process of glassmaking.
What is Aplite made of?
aplite, any intrusive igneous rock of simple composition, such as granite composed only of alkali feldspar, muscovite mica, and quartz; in a more restricted sense, uniformly fine-grained (less than 2 millimetres [0.08 inch]), light-coloured, intrusive igneous rocks that have a characteristic granular texture.
How is Aplite formed?
Aplites occur either within granitic intrusions or within countryrock surrounding the granitic intrusion. In either case it forms a narrow intrusive rock body within other rocks. Aplite is fine-grained because it solidified relatively quickly due to rapid heat loss to the surrounding cooler countryrock.
What is the characteristics of quartzite?
Quartzite is a nonfoliated metamorphic rock that consists mostly of quartz. It’s usually a white to pale gray rock, but occurs in other colors, including red and pink (from iron oxide), yellow, blue, green, and orange. The rock has a grainy surface with a sandpaper texture, but polishes to a glassy shine.
What is the hardness of quartzite?
Quartzite scores a 7 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, just ahead of granite. Countertop Specialty states: “Quartzite will not scratch, etch, or scorch from heat and rarely chips or pits. Simply put, it doesn’t get tougher than quartzite.”
Does quartzite break easily?
The incredible strength of quartzite makes it one of the most durable natural stones available on the market. It resists heat and cold without cracking or sustaining other damage when exposed to extreme temperatures.
What are the properties of quartzite?
Quartzite is a nonfoliated metamorphic rock composed almost absolutely of quartz.
Is quartzite water resistant?
In addition to the above-listed advantages, quartzite surfaces are water-resistant, non-skid, and very easy to clean. (Quartzite looks like marble, but requires much less maintenance, so it is the perfect choice for homeowners who like the appearance of marble but want a sturdier material for their household surfaces).