Banded iron formation and Dunite

Banded iron formation

Dunite

Dunite and Banded iron formation

Definition

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

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

History

Origin

Western Australia, Minnesota

New Zealand

Discoverer

Unknown

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Etymology

From its formation process

From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Trellis

Phaneritic

Color

Red, Reddish Brown

Dark Greenish - Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Paving Stone, Office Buildings

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Types

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

Not Available

Features

Is one of the oldest rock

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

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

Not Used

Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

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.

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Composition

Mineral Content

Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

3.5-4

Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Earthy

Shiny

Compressive Strength

Not Available

107.55 N/mm²

Cleavage

Imperfect

Toughness

1.5

2.1

Specific Gravity

5.0-5.3

3-3.01

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Density

Not Available

2.84-2.85 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

3.20 kJ/Kg K

1.25 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Morocco, South Africa

Europe

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

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Banded iron formation and Dunite Properties

Know all about Banded iron formation and Dunite 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 Dunite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Banded iron formation is Banded, Trellis whereas that of Dunite is Phaneritic. Banded iron formation appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Dunite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Banded iron formation is earthy while that of Dunite is shiny. Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. The commercial uses of Banded iron formation are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds.