IGNEOUS ROCKS

Mineral present
Grain Texture and Specific Distinguishing/special Mode of Engineering importance &
Name Colour Essential Accessory
size structure Gravity characteristics if any origin uses
minerals minerals
Grey granite Grey, Fine Holocrystallin Quartz Magnetite Medium Fine grained, Presence Plutonic Building&ornamental,
(fine grained) grayish grained e, equigranular orthoclase, 2.6 of abundant quartz acidic monumental,
white plagioclase grains, polish giving igneous rock kerbstones,roadmetal,concrete
biotite mirror surface aggregate
Pink granite Pink, flesh Coarse Holocrystallin Quartz Magnetite Medium Pink or flesh red colour, Plutonic Building&ornamental,
(coarse grained) red, grained e, equigranular orthoclase( 2.6 Presence of abundant acidic monumental,
reddish pink), quartz grains, polish igneous rock kerbstones,roadmetal,concrete
brown plagioclase giving mirror surface aggregate
hornblende
Graphic granite Pink, flesh Coarse Holocrystallin Quartz Magnetite Medium Presence of abundant Plutonic Building&ornamental,
(pink) red grained e, graphic orthoclase, 2.6 quartz grains, takes acidic monumental,
grained, biotite excellent polish giving igneous rock kerbstones,roadmetal,concrete
cuneiform mirror surface, graphic aggregate
structure structure
Granite porphyry Pink Coarse Porphyritic Quartz Magnetite Medium Porphyritic texture, Hypabyssal Building&ornamental,
( pink) grained orthoclase, 2.6 orthoclase phenocrysts acid pillars,slabs, lintels,door steps
plagioclase abundant quartz in the igneous rock etc
biotite or ground mass, can be
hornblende cut, carved & polished
 IGNEOUS ROCKS

Name Mineral present

Grain Texture and Specific Distinguishing/special Mode of Engineering importance
Colour Essential Accessory Gravity
size structure characteristics if any origin & uses
minerals minerals
Syenite Grayish,whit Medium Equigranular orthoclase, Magnetite Medium Resemble granite, Plutonic Ornamental
e,pink to coarse plagioclase 2.6 absence of quartz, can sub-acidic
grained biotite be cut, carved and igneous rock
polished
Pegmatite White at Very Holocrystallli Quartz Magnetite Medium Pegmatitic structure, Hypabyssal Worked for favourable
places pink, coarse ne,pegmatitic orthoclase, iron pyrites 2.6 inter growth between acidic minerals like
multicoloure grained biotite quartz and felspar igneous rock quartz,muscovite,beryl etc
d altering to
chlorite
Anorthosite Greyish Coarse Leucocratic plagioclase Magnetite Medium Light coloured Hypabyssal Ornamental,road
white to hypidiomorp hornblende Olivine 2.8 igneous rock metal,concrete aggregate
medium hic Pyroxene
Granodiorite Black Fine Phaneritic Plagioclase Hornblende Medium Zoned plagioclase Plutonic Ornamental. Crushed stones
Quartz biotite 2.8 phenocryst, igneous rock Paving
orthoclase
Gabbro Dark grey to Coarse Equigranular plagioclase Magnetite, Medium Dark grey colour,coarse Plutonic Ornamental,road
black grained augite iron pyrites 2.8-2.9 grained,twinned basic metal,concrete aggregate,
plagioclase, igneous rock ballast
 IGNEOUS ROCKS

Name Mineral present

Texture and Specific Distinguishing/special Mode of Engineering importance
Colour Grain size Essential Accessory Gravity
structure characteristics if any origin & uses
minerals minerals
Dolerite Dark grey Fine to Ophitic Plagioclase Iron pyrites Medium Heavy, polish giving Hypabyssal Ornamental, idols
to black medium texture , augite 2.9 mirror surface ,can be basic making,door steps
grained cut,carved igneous rock
Basalt - compact Dark grey Fine Glassy Plagioclase Magnetite Medium Dark grey, dense,fine Volcanic Road metal,concrete
grained , augite 2.9-3.1 grained basic aggregate,building stone,
igneous rock ballast
Amygdaloidal Blachish Fine Glassy , Plagioclase Magnetite Medium amygdaloidal,dark Volcanic Worked for cavity filled
Basalt grey grained amygdaloidal , augite 2.6 grey,fine grained, basic minerals like quartz, zeolite
igneous rock amethyst,calcite etc.
Pumice Silver gray, Fine vesicular Quartz - Low Vesicular, very light Volcanic Light weight concrete tooth
white grained orthoclase, but tough acidic powder,type rater
plagioclase igneous rock eraser,scrubber in beauty
biotite parlour
Obsedian Black Glassy Glassy Quartz - Medium Glassy texture with no Volcanic Semiprecious stone
orthoclase, 2.6 grains
plagioclase
Dunite Greenish Fine Phaneritic Olivine - Hugh Monomineralic Hypabyssal Metallurgy
grey igneous rock Fertilizers
 SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Name Mineral present

Texture and Specific Distinguishing/special Mode of Engineering importance &
Colour Grain size Essential Cementing Gravity
structure characteristics if any origin uses
minerals materials
Conglomerate Reddish Coarse Rudaceous, Polimineral Siliceous, Medium Smooth rounded Clastic, Worked for jasper, diamond
brown, grained pebbly, ic Fe2O3 2.7-2.8 pebbles of rocks and rudaceous, and other valuable minerals
chocolate assorted minerals cemented alluvial
brown,mult together by siliceous
icoloured Fe2O3 etc,
Banded flint Greyish Fine Argillaceous Quartz Siliceous Medium Banded structure Clastic, Worked for jasper and other
white Chert 2.7 argillaceous valuable minerals

Sandstone Reddish Fine to Arenaceous, Quartz Fe2O3 Medium Breaks round grains, Clastic, Building, ornamental, road
(red) brown, medium well sorted sand,little 2.6-3 can be cut ,carved and arenaceous metal, paving set, concrete
brick red grained orthoclase polished aggregate, artificial sand,
and pink grind stone
Sandstone White Medium Arenaceous, Quartz Siliceous, Medium Shows current bedding Clastic, Building, ornamental, road
(current bedding) grey grained sand,little 2.6-3 structure on the surface arenaceous metal, paving set, concrete
orthoclase aggregate, artificial sand,
grind stone
Sandstone Reddish Coarse Arenaceous, Quartz Siliceous, Medium Shows ripple mark Clastic, Building, ornamental, road
(ripple mark) brown, grained sand,little 2.6-3 structure on the surface arenaceous metal, paving set, concrete
brick red orthoclase aggregate, artificial sand,
and pink grind stone
 SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Name Mineral present

Texture and Specific Distinguishing/special Mode of Engineering importance &
Colour Grain size Essential Cementing Gravity
structure characteristics if any origin uses
minerals materials
Limestone White massive Nonclastic Calcite and Self Medium Sometimes Nonclastic, Cement manufacture,iron
(white) dolomite cemented 2.7 bedded,reacts readily precipitated smelting,aggregate,toothpaste
with dil.HCl. from
solution
Limestone Kankar Grey,dirty Fine Evaporative Calcite Self Medium Sometimes Nonclastic, Cement manufacture,iron
white grained porous cemented 2.7 bedded,reacts readily precipitated smelting,aggregate,toothpaste
structure, with dil.HCl. from
sometimes solution
crystalline
Fossiliferous White,dirty Fine Fossiliferous, Calcite, Self Medium Fossiliferous, can be Organically Lime shell,ornamental
limestone white,dark grained assorted shells and cemented 2.7 cut and polished. reacts formed articles,table tops,teapoy
grey fossils readily with dil.HCl. sedimentary tops,decorative panels
rock
Shale Reddish Clayey Argillaceous Clay and Argillaceou Medium Lamination, soft,very Mechanicall Bricks,tiles,cement
brown,bric fine s or iron 2.6 fine grained y formed manufacture,concrete
k red, grained oxides,self sedimentary aggregate
chocatate minerals cemented rock
brown
 METAMORPHIC ROCKS

Name Mineral present

Texture and Specific Distinguishing/special Mode of Engineering importance
Colour Grain size Essential Accessory Gravity
structure characteristics if any origin & uses
minerals minerals
Gneiss Grey, Fine to Gneissose Light - Medium Banded structure,can be Dynamic Building stone,ornamental
alternating medium ,banded band:quartz 2.7 cut,carved and polished metamorphi stone,structural
with black grained and c rock pillars,slabs,doorsteps,road
or greenish orthoclase metal,concrete
white dark band: aggregate,ballast
biotite or
hornblrnde
Augen Gneiss Grayish Varying Gneissose dark band: - Medium Augen Dynamic ornamental stone
white or grain size with augen biotite or 2.7 structure,banded, can metamorphi
grayish structure hornblrnde be cut,carved and c rock
black white eye polished
like
cluster:quar
tz,orthoclas
e
,plagioclase
Quartzite Fine to Granulose Quartz - Medium Brittle ,vitreous Thermal Road metal,rail road
White,grey, medium 2.7 metamorphi ballast,flux,glass cutting
pink,brick grained c rock
red
Phyllite Grey Fine foliated Clay - Medium Foliated, low grade Regional Ornamental
Mica, metamorphism metamorphi stone,decorative stone
quartz sm
Marble White Fine to Granulose calcite - Medium Reacts readily with Thermal Ornamental
medium ,saccharoidal 2.7 dil.HCl. can be metamorphi stone,decorative
grained cut,carved and polished c rock stone,monumental,table
tops,flooring

Talc Schist bluish, Medium schistose talc - Medium Highly soft, Dynamic Decoration and ornamental
white, grained 2.8-2.9 metamorph panels,exterior decoration
ic rock
Mica schist White, Medium schistose Mica Staurolite,g Medium Named after the Dynamic Worked for extracting
grayish grained arnet 2.8-3 accessory minerals metamorph staurolite
white ic rock
Slate Black Fine foliated Mica - Medium Hard and brittle Regional Flooring, blackboard
Pyrite metamorph
ism