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Plagioclase feldspars which are a component of basalt has a hardness of around 7 on the Mohs Scale.

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Q: What is the hardness of basalt rock?
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Which is harder basalt or granite?

Both basalt and granite are types of rock, and a rock is composed of multiple minerals - except for some rocks composed of essentially one mineral like limestone (calcite) or quartzite (quartz). Minerals are crystalline compounds with known characteristics such as hardness, specific gravity, etc Therefore the hardness of the rock depends on the exact location on the rock you are testing the hardness, as it will vary from mineral to mineral. Some minerals even have differential hardness. Granite is composed of quartz, feldspar, and usually some ferromagnesian minerals such as biotite or hornblende (depending on the definition of a granite). Basalt is composed mostly of plagioclase (a feldspar) and pyroxene. Each of those minerals has a different hardness, and geologists never use the hardness of a "rock" to determine what kind of rock it is. Basalt is usually much finer grained than granite so it would be virtually impossible to determine the hardness of the individual mineral crystals. On Moh's hardness scale, the hardness of these rock-forming minerals are as follows: Quartz 7 Feldspar 6 (depending on the species of feldspar) Biotite 2.5-3 Pyroxene 5-6 (depending on the species of pyroxene) So the hardness of a rock is determined by the minerals, and in a coarse grained rock like a granite, the hardness can vary widely. The hardest mineral in granite (quartz) is harder than the hardest mineral in basalt (feldspar), but that's not enough to say that granite is conclusively harder than basalt. The resistance to breaking of a rock (which could be confused with the apparent hardness to a non-expert) is greatly affected by fractures, weathering, induration, welding, and many other features which are independent of mineral content.


How hard is basalt?

Basalt is higher in rock hardness than that of coarser grained igneous rocks like granite Compressive Strength (MPa) 100-300 Tensile Strength (MPa) 10-30 Shear Strength (MPa) 20-60 Bulk Density (Mg/m3) 2.8-2.9 Porosity % 0.1-1.0


Is basalt a soft rock?

Basalt is a relatively heavy iron rich hard rock.


Is basalt a gas?

No. Basalt is solid rock.


What is the hardness of basalt?

On the Moh's hardness scale, basalt has a hardness of 8. Anything between 5-10 is considered hard. Materials on the scale between 1-3 are considered soft, and anything rated from 3.5 to 5 is considered medium-hard.

Related questions

Hardness of basalt?

its 8


Which is harder basalt or granite?

Both basalt and granite are types of rock, and a rock is composed of multiple minerals - except for some rocks composed of essentially one mineral like limestone (calcite) or quartzite (quartz). Minerals are crystalline compounds with known characteristics such as hardness, specific gravity, etc Therefore the hardness of the rock depends on the exact location on the rock you are testing the hardness, as it will vary from mineral to mineral. Some minerals even have differential hardness. Granite is composed of quartz, feldspar, and usually some ferromagnesian minerals such as biotite or hornblende (depending on the definition of a granite). Basalt is composed mostly of plagioclase (a feldspar) and pyroxene. Each of those minerals has a different hardness, and geologists never use the hardness of a "rock" to determine what kind of rock it is. Basalt is usually much finer grained than granite so it would be virtually impossible to determine the hardness of the individual mineral crystals. On Moh's hardness scale, the hardness of these rock-forming minerals are as follows: Quartz 7 Feldspar 6 (depending on the species of feldspar) Biotite 2.5-3 Pyroxene 5-6 (depending on the species of pyroxene) So the hardness of a rock is determined by the minerals, and in a coarse grained rock like a granite, the hardness can vary widely. The hardest mineral in granite (quartz) is harder than the hardest mineral in basalt (feldspar), but that's not enough to say that granite is conclusively harder than basalt. The resistance to breaking of a rock (which could be confused with the apparent hardness to a non-expert) is greatly affected by fractures, weathering, induration, welding, and many other features which are independent of mineral content.


Is basalt a igneous metamorphic or sedimentary rock?

Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock.


How hard is basalt?

Basalt is higher in rock hardness than that of coarser grained igneous rocks like granite Compressive Strength (MPa) 100-300 Tensile Strength (MPa) 10-30 Shear Strength (MPa) 20-60 Bulk Density (Mg/m3) 2.8-2.9 Porosity % 0.1-1.0


What is the dark colored rock the makes up most of the oceanic crust?

Basalt


Is basalt an example of a felsic rock?

No. Basalt is a mafic rock.


What is a sentence using the word 'basalt'?

That rock was not Basalt, it was different. This is not a diamond, just a normal Basalt.


What basalt boulders mean?

Basalt is a very abundant volcanic rock. A basalt boulder is simply a large chunk of basalt rock.


Is basalt a soft rock?

Basalt is a relatively heavy iron rich hard rock.


What is a non example of hardness?

diamonds are hard because they cannot be scratched.


What is a name of a hard igneous rock?

There are many. A few would be diorite, granite, gabbro, and basalt.


Is basalt a gas?

No. Basalt is solid rock.