Anorthosite

Gossan

Anorthosite and Gossan

Anorthosite

Gossan

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Definition

Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase

Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.

History

Origin

Indonesia

Discoverer

Unknown

Cornish Gossen

Etymology

From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1

From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated, Glassy

Rough, Sandy

Color

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White

Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Curling

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone

Types

Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite

Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.

Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene

Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-64-5

1 7

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Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Conchoidal

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Pearly to Subvitreous

Metallic

Compressive Strength

180.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.62-2.822.0

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.7-4 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.24 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea

Africa

Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic

Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Colombia

Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia

New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Anorthosite and Gossan Properties

Know all about Anorthosite and Gossan properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Anorthosite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Gossan belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy whereas that of Gossan is Rough, Sandy. Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Gossan appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous while that of Gossan is metallic. Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors whereas Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. The commercial uses of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling and that of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone.