ROCK ID

Sample number 1:
Sample video 7-18-1

1.1 NAME/TYPE: Granite, igneous rocks

1.2 sample properties

Color White
Hardness 6-7
Streak None
Cleavage None
Luster Sub-Metallic
Grain size 1-2
Fracture Uneven
Tenacity Brittle
Magnetism None
Acid reaction None
Feel Rough
Crystal system Anhedral
Specific gravity 2.65-2.75g/cm3
Taste None

Both felsic and mafic minerals consisting of Quartz, feldspars, mica and black hornblende are

the minerals that the rock is made up of.

OCCURRENCE- Occur as a result of slow, gradual cooling of magma below the earth’s

surface.

STRUCTURES- the structure appears massive

WEATHERING - it weathers slowly by hydrolysis altering the feldspar to form a white clay.

1.3 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

Some of the important geotechnical properties of the granite rock include: low to medium

plasticity property, low moisture content and a void ratio of about 0.36- 1.28, medium
shrinkage level, and high shear strength of about 20-30˚. These properties make it ideal for

geotechnical engineering projects such as making decorations and construction of buildings.

Sample number 2:
Sample video 2-1-19

1.1 NAME/ TYPE: Basalt, igneous rocks.

1.2 SAMPLE PROPERTIES:

Color Dark Grey

Hardness 5
Streak White to grey
Cleavage None
Lustre Dull
Grain size Fine Grained
Fracture Conchoidal
Tenacity Brittle
Magnetism Reacts
Acid reaction None
Feel Smooth to uneven
Crystal system Monoclinic
Specific gravity None
Taste None

Plagioclase and pyroxene are the important minerals that the rock is made of.

OCCURRENCE- they occur in form of an extrusive rock as a result of decompression of

melting of flowing mantle. The rock can as well form in in tiny intrusive bides, for instance it

can be formed in an igneous dike

WEATHERING – The rock does not weather

1.3 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

Basalt, an igneous rock with a density of 3.0g/cm3 a property that makes this rock to be one

of the few heavy rock used in for civil applications such as building of bridges, construction

of highways, roads and industries.

Sample number 3:
Sample video 8-1-5

1.1 NAME/ TYPE: hematite, Mineral rocks (Nonmetallic).

1.2 SAMPLE PROPERTIES:

Colour Rusty red

Hardness 7
Streak Red
Cleavage None
Lustre Earthy
Grain size Smooth
Fracture Uneven
Tenacity Brittle
Magnetism None
Acid reaction None
Feel heavy
Crystal system Trigonal
Specific gravity 5-5.3
Taste None

The rock is made of Iron and oxygen elements.

OCCURRENCE- hematite rocks occur as a result of inorganic or organic precipitation from

hydrothermal fluids that move through a rock mass. Consequently, it can also occur as a

result of contact metamorphism when hot magma reacts with adjacent rocks.

STRUCTURES- appear round with bumpy surface

WEATHERING – the rock is less resistance to weathering.

1.3 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

The rock has a higher density as well as a high iron content of about 70 %as a result, it is

used to produce iron that makes steel, radiation shielding materials and ballast. In addition, it
can well be grounded to a fine powder that is usually mixed with water and used to make

paints.

Sample number 4
Sample video 15-2-19

1.1 NAME/ TYPE: Obsidian, igneous rocks.

1.2 SAMPLE PROPERTIES:

Colour Black
Hardness 5-5.5
Streak White
Cleavage No
Lustre Vitreous
Grain size None
Conchoida
Fracture l
Tenacity Brittle
Magnetism None
Acid reaction None
Feel Greasy
Crystal
system Hexagonal
Specific
gravity 2.55
Taste None
When it comes to mineralogy, It is made up of very soft crystals that lacks textural

orientation.

OCCURRENCE- Occurs mainly in areas of recent volcanic activity. Normally, they form as

a result of rapid cooling of magma or lava that comes out as a result of volcanic phenomena.

STRUCTURE-the rock appears in sheets normally interbedded with ash.

WEATHERING -undergoes spheroidal weathering forming rusts that later decay to clay soil.

1.3 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

Obsidian rocks have a dry density pf 2.6. porosity of about 3%, modulus elasticity of 60GPa,

Tensile strength of 15Mpa, Shear strength of about 30 and a friction angle of 45. Majorly,

having a conchoidal fracture makes it an ideal rock for producing cutting tools such as knives

since it can be broken down into curved surfaces. Additionally, the medium strength with 5.5

hardness makes it ideal for making of jewelry.

Sample number 5
Sample video 2-9-15

1.1 NAME/ TYPE: Biotite, mineral (Nonmetallic rocks)

1.2 SAMPLE PROPERTIES:

Color Black
Hardness 3
Streak black
Cleavage perfect
Sub-
Lustre metallic
Grain size None
Fracture Uneven
Tenacity elastic
Magnetism None
Acid reaction Yes
Feel light
monoclini
Crystal system c
Specific
gravity 2.7
Taste None The rock comprises of potassium, aluminum, silicate,

magnesium, hydroxide and iron elements.

OCCURRENCE- occurs in magmatic and metamorphic rocks

STRUCTURES- thin flexible sheets with layered crystal structure

WEATHERING – weathers to form schist and gneiss.

1.3 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

The rock’s perfect cleavage, high specific heat capacity makes it an ideal rock to be used by

the civil engineers in electrical insulating purposes. however, its higher heat capacity property

makes it wear at a faster rate. consequently, a weathered biotite is used in producing

vermiculite that is applied in agriculture and is also used as an insulating material.

Sample number 6
Sample video 18-7

1.1 NAME/ TYPE: River gravel

1.2 SAMPLE PROPERTIES:

Beige,
White,
Color grey
Hardness 5
Streak No
Cleavage None
Lustre Dull
Fine
Grain size grained
Fracture Uneven
Tenacity None
Magnetism None
Acid reaction Yes
Feel Smooth
Crystal system None
Specific gravity 2.0- 2.2
Taste None

The rock is made of small rounded pieces of sand stones

OCCURRENCE- Occurs as a result of abrasion. They usually accumulate at the seashores

where water moves leaving sand behind that later forms River gravel.

STRUCTURES- in flakes

WEATHERING – they do not weather.

1.2 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

The main features od river gravels important for the geotechnical engineers include, its finer

diameter of the grain size, bulk density and the unconfined grain compressive strength. These

properties of the river gravels rocks are very useful to the geotechnical engineers as its

density makes it appropriate to produce concrete used in road construction. consequently, it is

also used to make roofing shingle on roads during winter.

Sample number 7
Sample video 3-1-12

1.1 NAME/ TYPE: Calcite, Non-Silicate Minerals.

1.2 SAMPLE PROPERTIES:

Color White
Hardness 5
Streak White
Cleavage Perfect
Lustre Vitreous
Grain size None
Conchoid
Fracture al
Tenacity Brittle
Magnetism None
Acid reaction Yes
Feel Smooth
Crystal system Trigonal
Specific
gravity 2.71
Taste None
The rock is composed of marble and limestone minerals.

OCCURRENCE- amorphous calcium carbonate crystallizes to form vaterite particles which

then changes to calcite as a result of pre- precipitation and dissolution.

STRUCTURES- spectacular crystals that occurs massively.

WEATHERING – weathers slowly

1.3 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

Its softness, vitreous luster, and a specific gravity of 2.71 does not qualify it as an ideal

material for construction. However, it is usually mixed and placed in form of slurry that

makes it harden then used as a construction material, construction aggregate, abrasive and

also in agriculture industry.

Sample number 8
Sample video 3-15-14

1.1 NAME/ TYPE: Conglomerate, Sedimentary rocks.

1.2 SAMPLE PROPERTIES:

Color Beige
Hardness 7
Streak None
Cleavage None
Lustre Dull
Medium
Grain size Grained
Fracture Rough
Tenacity Bristle
Magnetism None
Acid reaction Yes
Feel Very rough
Crystal system Hexagonol
Specific gravity 2.86-2.88
Taste None

The rock comprises of a mixture of different minerals that contain substantial fraction of

rounded gravel particles

OCCURRENCE - The rock is formed as a result of accumulation of sediments containing

pebble and cobble size clasts of about 2mm and above in its width

STRUCTURES

WEATHERING – Does not weather

1.3 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

The density of the rock ranges from 1.7-2.3 g/cm3, 0.92Kj/kGk as the heat capacity, high

porosity makes it ideal to be used in the construction of roads and buildings since they are

generally harder rocks. They are also used for decoration of walls and floors.

Sample number 9
Sample video 3-8-1

1.1 NAME/ TYPE: Chalk, sedimentary carbonate rock.

1.2 SAMPLE PROPERTIES:

Color White
Hardness 3-5
Streak White
Cleavage No
Lustre Dull
Grain size Fine
Fracture Uneven
Tenacity Bristle
Magnetism None
Acid reaction Yes
Feel Smooth
Crystal system hexagonal
Specific gravity 2.3-2.4
Taste None

The rock is made up of calcium carbinte mineral.

OCCURRENCE- formed as a result of metamorphism of limestone.

WEATHERING –the rock undergoes biological, chemical and mechanical weathering.

1.3 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

Chalk is always highly porous, permeable in liquids as well as soft and can easily break. They

are used in school settings in writing on classroom blackboards. They cannot be used for

construction due to their nature of being extremely soft.

Sample number 10
Sample video 19-1-14

1.1 NAME/ TYPE: Sandstone, Sedimentary rocks.

1.2 SAMPLE PROPERTIES:

Colour Beige
Hardness 7
Streak None
Cleavage None
Lustre Dull
Grain size Coarse
Conchoida
Fracture l
Tenacity Brittle
Magnetism None
Acid reaction None
Feel Gritty
monochlin
Crystal system ic
Specific
gravity 2.2-2.8
Quartz, feldspar, rock fragments are some of the minerals
Taste None
that make up sandstones.

OCCURRENCE- Sandstones are made up of minerals formed from the sand. The stone is

formed from depositing found in lakes, rivers, or on the floor of oceans. All these elements

accumulate with quartz or even calcite then compresses forming sandstone

STRUCTURES- the structure is apparent along with deposited structures.

WEATHERING – Sandstone weathers that exposes the grain to breakage

1.3 CIVIL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPERTIES:

It has a density of 2-2.35, porosity that is highly permeable, compressive strength of about

365 to 460kg/m2. The properties make it an ideal rock used in decorative purposes. It’s used

in making garden ornaments because of its ability to last longer. Its fined grained and

compressive properties make it to be used in the construction of walls that are known to last

longer.
 References

Ottens, B., Götze, J., Schuster, R., Krenn, K., Hauzenberger, C., Zsolt, B., & Vennemann, T.

(2019). Exceptional Multi Stage Mineralization of Secondary Minerals in

Cavities of Flood Basalts from the Deccan Volcanic Province, India. Minerals, 9(6),

351.

Salve, P. N. (2020). Unit. No. 4: Geomorphic Processes-A. Rocks and Minerals-Igneous

Rocks.