Home
Compare Rocks


Adakite and Skarn


Skarn and Adakite


Definition

Definition
Adakite is an intermediate to felsic volcanic rock that has geochemical characteristics of magma which is said to be formed by partial melting of altered basalt that is subducted below volcanic arcs   
Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin   

History
  
  

Origin
Adak, Aleutian Islands   
USA, Australia   

Discoverer
Defant and Drummond   
Tornebohm   

Etymology
From Adak, Aleutian Islands   
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Porphyritic   
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough   

Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Dull and Soft   
Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens   
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Gold and Silver production, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Applicable   

Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Pottery, Used in aquariums   
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Endoskarns   

Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Host rock for Diamond, Very fine grained rock   
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Adakite rocks are formed when the hydrous fluids are released from minerals that break down in metamorphosed basalt, and rise into the mantle they initiate partial melting.   
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Skarn is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide   
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
No   

Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
Yes   
No   

Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-4   
6.5   

Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Irregular   

Streak
Bluish Black   
Light to dark brown   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous   
Waxy and Dull   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Slaty   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.4   

Specific Gravity
Not Available   
2.86   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka   

Africa
Ethiopia, Somalia, South Africa   
South Africa, Western Africa   

Europe
Iceland   
United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada   

South America
Brazil   
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Adakite and Skarn Properties

Know all about Adakite and Skarn properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Adakite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Skarn belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Adakite is Porphyritic whereas that of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough. Adakite appears Dull and Soft and Skarn appears Dull. The luster of Adakite is grainy, pearly and vitreous while that of Skarn is waxy and dull. Adakite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Skarn is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Adakite are commemorative tablets, pottery, used in aquariums and that of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo).

Compare Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

» More Igneous Rocks

Compare Igneous Rocks

» More Compare Igneous Rocks