Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Lherzolite is a type of ultramafic igneous rock which contains essential olivine and clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene in equal proportions
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
France
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From its formation process
From the Lherz Massif, an alpine peridotite complex, at Étang de Lers, near Massat in the French Pyrenees; Lherz is the archaic spelling of this location
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Grenue
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Pink, Purple
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Landscaping, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
As armour rock for sea walls, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Used in aquariums
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Garnet Lherzolite
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
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.
Lherzolite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
CaO, Cr, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Earthy
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Perfect
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
2.86
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Russia, South Korea
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Western Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Banded iron formation and Lherzolite Properties
Know all about Banded iron formation and Lherzolite 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 Lherzolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Banded iron formation is Banded, Trellis whereas that of Lherzolite is Grenue. Banded iron formation appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Lherzolite appears Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Banded iron formation is earthy while that of Lherzolite is subvitreous to dull. Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas Lherzolite is available in black, dark greenish - grey, green, pink, purple colors. The commercial uses of Banded iron formation are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Lherzolite are as armour rock for sea walls, source of magnesia (mgo), used in aquariums.