We use cookies and similar technologies to optimise your experience when using this site and to help tailor our digital advertising on third party sites. Would you like to write for us? Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Earth-Science-For-High-School/section/4.0/, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_of_Gudea_-_MET_-_59.2.jpg. Here, we will focus on the basics of igneous rocks and their uses. Igneous rocks reduced to gravel size serve as ballast for railroad beds. This diffusivity allows large and rapid crystal growth—allowing minerals to separate into pockets, some with rare and unusual compositions. these are two historical uses of igneous rocks, this glass-like igneous rock has been used for weapons or scraping hides, this fine-grained igneous rock has been used for cobblestones and landscaping, this igneous rock can be mixed with soil and used to start vegetable seeds Granite is an intrusive rock that contains feldspar and quartz as primary minerals. In nature, there are three main kinds of rocks, namely, the igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks. For size scale, the Toba Caldera (crater and lake) is about the same size as the San Francisco metropolitan region (Figure 8-98). One important use is as stone for buildings and statues. Diorite was used extensively by ancient civilizations for vases and other decorative artwork and is still used for art today (Figure 1). Figure 2. We hope you are enjoying ScienceStruck! The Museum rock collection contains approximately 123,000 sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks collected around the world during the past 250 years. Antarctic expeditions represented in the collections include: Voyages represented in the Arctic expeditions: Marble from Middleton, County Cork, Ireland, Polished bricks of volcanic rock collected by Sir William Hamilton (1731-1803) while he was stationed as a British diplomat in Naples, Roman table top inlaid with ornamental marble excavated from tombs on Applian Way, a road constructed from Rome to Capua by Appius Claudius Caecus in 312 BC, If you would like to use any specimens for research  Â. Common Igneous Rocks and their Uses Basalt. And if the solidification process takes place underneath the earth’s surface, intrusive or plutonic rocks are formed. Occurrence: Pegmatite typical form as masses in igneous dikes and veins. This was an overview of igneous rock uses. This dark-colored, sturdy rock was used for inscription, statues and for carving works. Owing to its characteristic appearance, it is used as an ornamental stone. As per geological data, more than 90 % of the upper portion of earth’s crust comprises igneous rocks. There are numerous igneous rocks, although relatively few are well known. This volcanic rock is popularly used in household products (scouring stones), cosmetics (exfoliants), and... Gabbro. Granite (figure 2) is used both in building construction and for statues. An extremely hard igneous rock containing feldspar, diorite uses can be traced back to the ancient times. Igneous rocks reduced to gravel size serve as ballast for railroad beds. Fact Check: What Power Does the President Really Have Over State Governors? About & Disclaimer | Terms | Privacy | Contact, What are the Snowiest Cities in the World. Economic Value: Gem minerals found in pegmatites include: apatite, beryls (including emerald), cassiterite, corundum (sapphires), feldspars (including aquamarine and perthite), fluorite, garnet, lepidolite quartz varieties (crystal, rose, and smoky), spodumene, topaz, and tourmaline. https://gotbooks.miracosta.edu/earth_science/chapter8.html, Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve, Mount St. Helens Nation Volcanic Monument, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Arabia Mountain