Banded iron formation

Pyroxenite

Banded iron formation and Pyroxenite

Banded iron formation

Pyroxenite

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Definition

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

Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine

History

Origin

Western Australia, Minnesota

Discoverer

Johann Gottlob Lehmann

Unknown

Etymology

From its formation process

From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Trellis

Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic

Color

Red, Reddish Brown

Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

Paving Stone, Office Buildings

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

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

Types

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

Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites

Features

Is one of the oldest rock

Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

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.

Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.

Composition

Mineral Content

Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz

Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene

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

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-67

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

White

White, Greenish White or Grey

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Earthy

Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic

Compressive Strength

220.00 N/mm²150.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.5

Specific Gravity

5.0-5.33.2-3.5

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

-9999 g/cm³3.1-3.6 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

3.20 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear 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, Russia

Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

South Africa

Europe

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

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

New Zealand, Queensland

All about Banded iron formation and Pyroxenite Properties

Know all about Banded iron formation and Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Banded iron formation is Banded, Trellis whereas that of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic. Banded iron formation appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Banded iron formation is earthy while that of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Banded iron formation are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.