Banded iron formation and Diabase

Banded iron formation

Diabase

Diabase and Banded iron formation

Definition

Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age

Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar

History

Origin

Western Australia, Minnesota

Germany

Discoverer

Unknown

Christian Leopold von Buch

Etymology

From its formation process

From Greek di + base

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Trellis

Aphanitic, Granular

Color

Red, Reddish Brown

Dark Grey to Black

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Vesicular

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

Paving Stone, Office Buildings

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

Types

Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite

Not Available

Features

Is one of the oldest rock

Smooth to touch

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Not Yet Used

Used

Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire

Sculpture

Not Yet Used

Used

Famous Sculptures

Not Applicable

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Figurines

Not Yet Used

Used

Fossils

Present

Absent

Formation

The banded iron layers are formed in sea water when oxygen is released by photosynthetic cyano-bacteria. The oxygen then combines with dissolved iron in ocean to form insoluble iron oxides, which precipitated out, forming a thin layer of banded iron formation on ocean floor.

Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.

Composition

Mineral Content

Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz

Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine

Compound Content

Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Earthy

Not Available

Compressive Strength

Not Available

225.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Imperfect

Not Available

Toughness

1.5

1.6

Specific Gravity

5.0-5.3

2.86-2.87

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

Not Available

2.7-3.3 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

3.20 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

India

Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Antarctica, Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Banded iron formation and Diabase Properties

Know all about Banded iron formation and Diabase properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Banded iron formation belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Diabase belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Banded iron formation is Banded, Trellis whereas that of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular. Banded iron formation appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Diabase appears Vesicular. The luster of Banded iron formation is earthy while that of Diabase is not available. Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Banded iron formation are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Diabase are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.