5/31/13

Rock Types and Specific Gravity

EduMine - Professional Development and Training

for Mining and the Geosciences
For more tools like this see Online Tools

Average Specific Gravity of Various Rock Types

Material

Specific Gravity

Tons / Cubic Yard

Andesite

2.5 - 2.8

2.11 - 2.36

Basalt/Traprock

2.8 - 3.0

2.36 - 2.53

Coal - Anthracite

1.3

1.08

Coal - Bituminous

1.1 - 1.4

0.92 - 1.18

1.89

Diabase

2.6 - 3.0

2.19 - 2.53

Diorite

2.8 - 3.0

2.36 - 2.53

Dolomite

2.8 - 2.9

2.36 - 2.44

Earth (dry)

1.6 - 1.8

1.35 - 1.52

Earth (wet)

1.6875

Gneiss

2.6 - 2.9

2.19 - 2.44

Granite

2.6 - 2.7

2.19 - 2.28

Gypsum

2.3 - 2.8

1.94 - 2.36

Iron Ore

4.5 - 5.3

3.79 - 4.47

7.5

6.21

Limestone

2.3 - 2.7

1.94 - 2.28

Marble

2.4 - 2.7

2.02 - 2.28

Mica, schist

2.5 - 2.9

2.09 - 2.43

Quartzite

2.6 - 2.8

2.19 - 2.36

Rhyolite

2.4 - 2.6

2.02 - 2.19

Rock Salt

2.5 - 2.6

2.11 - 2.19

Sandstone

2.2 - 2.8

1.85 - 2.36

Copper Ore

Lead Ore (Galena)

www.edumine.com/xtoolkit/tables/sgtables.htm

1/2

5/31/13

Rock Types and Specific Gravity

Shale

2.4 - 2.8

2.02 - 2.36

Slate

2.7 - 2.8

2.28 - 2.36

Talc

2.6 - 2.8

2.19 - 2.36

Density (in lb/cu ft.) = SG X 62.4

Density (SI units) = SG X Density of water
(1.0 g/cc or 1000 kg/cubic metre)

Specific Gravity and Porosity of Various Rock Types

Specific Gravity
(gm/cc)

Porosity %

Granite

2.60 - 2.70

0.5 - 1.5

Dolerite

3.00 - 3.05

0.1 - 0.5

Sandstone

2.00 - 2.60

5.0 - 25.0

Shale

2.00 - 2.40

10.0 - 30.0

Limestone

2.20 - 2.60

5.0 - 20.0

Dolomite

2.50 - 2.60

1.0 - 5.0

Quartzite

2.65

0.1 - 0.5

Rock Type

www.edumine.com/xtoolkit/tables/sgtables.htm

2/2