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What is the hardness of basalt?

Updated: 8/10/2023
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9y ago

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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.

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15y ago

Basalt is three times heavier than water. A cubic foot of basalt weighs approximately 188 pounds.

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15y ago

Most geology textbooks list the average density of basalt as 3.0 g/cm3.

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13y ago

Yes. Basalt is denser.

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Q: What is the hardness of basalt?
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What is the hardness of basalt rock?

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


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


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.


What is the hardness of gabbro in mohs hardness scale?

A rock's hardness is usually measured in compressive fracture strength rather than a Mohs hardness which measures a mineral's relative hardness in comparison to other minerals. ASTM standard tests have rated gneiss at 50-200 MPa (roughly 350-1400 psi), a range lower than slate, quartzite, or basalt.


Is basalt a gas?

No. Basalt is solid rock.

Related questions

What is the hardness of basalt rock?

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


Hardness of basalt?

its 8


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


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.


What is the mohs scale for Feldspar?

Basalt scores an 8 on the Moh's scale. This makes it harder than quartz and vanadium, but weaker than boron and titanium carbide. It can easily scratch steel and glass. It is just about as hard as topaz. Basalt is also an igneous rock, formed by hardened lava, which explains why it is so hard.


What is the hardness of gabbro in mohs hardness scale?

A rock's hardness is usually measured in compressive fracture strength rather than a Mohs hardness which measures a mineral's relative hardness in comparison to other minerals. ASTM standard tests have rated gneiss at 50-200 MPa (roughly 350-1400 psi), a range lower than slate, quartzite, or basalt.


What is a name of a hard igneous rock?

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


Which crusher should be used for which rock?

Generally, different crushers are chosen according to hardness of stone. Cone crushers are suitable for high hardness stone such as marble, granite, basalt and so on. Impact crushers are suitable for soft stone such as gypsum, limestone and so on.


What is a non example of hardness?

diamonds are hard because they cannot be scratched.


What is an alkali basalt?

An alkali basalt is a particularly alkaline variety of basalt.


Where is the Basalt Rld in Basalt located?

The address of the Basalt Rld is: 14 Midland Ave, Basalt, 81621 8305


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.