Picrite basalt

Pikrite vergrünte are fine-to coarse-grained volcanic rocks, which belong to the family of the rock basalts. Pikrite are Melabasalte with a share of about 50 % olivine. Pikrite often occur together with diabase and they usually have a porphyritic texture. In mineral composition they lead the green olivine and augite dark. They may also include hornblende, biotite and Bronzite. Accessory Gemengteile under one percentage are apatite and magnetite. Pikrite are very dense and dark ( ultramafic ) rocks.

Occurrence and use

One of the few varieties mined in Europe are located in Hirzenhain in Hesse. The there mined natural stones used for sculptures and for grave monuments. This Hessian Neugrün called stone can be polished and is frost resistant. In the 20th century a Pikrit at Seibis (now a district of Schlegel ( Thuringia) in the region of Bad Lobenstein ) was mined and used for regional and supra- regional construction projects. In Russia there are several Pikrit deposits.

Types of natural stone

  • Hessian Neugrün Hirzenhain in Hesse
  • Seibis at Seibis in Thuringia
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