Definition
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster
Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin
Origin
Pennsylvania, U.S.
USA, Australia
Discoverer
Unknown
Tornebohm
Etymology
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Amorphous, Glassy
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Dull
Interior Uses
Not Yet Used
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Not Yet Used
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production
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
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins
Not Applicable
Antiquity Uses
Not Yet Used
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite
Endoskarns
Features
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.
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.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite
Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular
Streak
Black
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Waxy and Dull
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Slaty
Toughness
Not Available
2.4
Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.25-2.5 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka
Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Central Australia, Western Australia
Anthracite vs Skarn Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Anthracite vs Skarn characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Anthracite and Properties of Skarn. Learn more about Anthracite vs Skarn in the next section. The interior uses of Anthracite include Not yet used whereas the interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Anthracite and Skarn, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Anthracite in construction industry include Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel production and that of Skarn include 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.
More about Anthracite and Skarn
Here you can know more about Anthracite and Skarn. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Anthracite and Skarn consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Anthracite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals and mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Anthracite vs Skarn, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors whereas, Skarn is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Anthracite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Skarn is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Anthracite vs Skarn. The hardness of Anthracite is 1-1.5 and that of Skarn is 6.5. The types of Anthracite are Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite whereas types of Skarn are Endoskarns. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Anthracite is black while that of Skarn is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Anthracite is 1.32 kJ/Kg K and that of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Anthracite is heat resistant, water resistant whereas Skarn is heat resistant.