Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
North America
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From its formation process
From Andes mountains, where it is found in abundance
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Icelandite
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Middle of the Earth in Ecuador
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.
Andesite is a fine-grained igneous rock that forms when the magma is erupted onto the surface and is crystallized quickly.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Uneven
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Not Available
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.11-2.36 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Banded iron formation vs Andesite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Banded iron formation vs Andesite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Banded iron formation and Properties of Andesite. Learn more about Banded iron formation vs Andesite in the next section. The interior uses of Banded iron formation include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Andesite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Banded iron formation and Andesite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Banded iron formation in construction industry include As dimension stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills. and that of Andesite include Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Banded iron formation and Andesite
Here you can know more about Banded iron formation and Andesite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Banded iron formation and Andesite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Banded iron formation includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz and mineral content of Andesite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Banded iron formation vs Andesite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas, Andesite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors. Appearance of Banded iron formation is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Andesite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Banded iron formation vs Andesite. The hardness of Banded iron formation is 5.5-6 and that of Andesite is 7. The types of Banded iron formation are Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite whereas types of Andesite are Icelandite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Banded iron formation and Andesite is white. The specific heat capacity of Banded iron formation is 3.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Andesite is 2.39 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Banded iron formation is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Andesite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.