Banded iron formation and Phyllite

Phyllite

Definition

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

Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks

History

Origin

Western Australia, Minnesota

Unknown

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From its formation process

From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Trellis

Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty

Color

Red, Reddish Brown

Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Crinkled or Wavy

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Paving Stone, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates

Types

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

Not Available

Features

Is one of the oldest rock

Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Not Yet Used

Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

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.

Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.

Composition

Mineral Content

Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz

Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon

Compound Content

Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

1-2

Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Earthy

Phyllitic

Cleavage

Imperfect

Crenulation and Pervasive

Toughness

1.5

1.2

Specific Gravity

5.0-5.3

2.72-2.73

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

Not Available

2.18-3.3 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

3.20 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

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

Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

Summary >>

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All about Banded iron formation and Phyllite Properties

Know all about Banded iron formation and Phyllite 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 Phyllite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Banded iron formation is Banded, Trellis whereas that of Phyllite is Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty. Banded iron formation appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Phyllite appears Crinkled or Wavy. The luster of Banded iron formation is earthy while that of Phyllite is phyllitic. Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Banded iron formation are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Phyllite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, writing slates.