Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Edgar Bailey
Etymology
From its formation process
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Foliated
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Not Available
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained 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
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.
Blueschist forms due to the metamorphism of basalt and other rocks with similar composition at high pressures and low temperatures and approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 500 °C.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
3-3.2
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Japan, Turkey
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
France, Greece, Iceland
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
New Zealand
Banded iron formation vs Blueschist 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 Blueschist characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Banded iron formation and Properties of Blueschist. Learn more about Banded iron formation vs Blueschist in the next section. The interior uses of Banded iron formation include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Blueschist include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Banded iron formation and Blueschist, 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 Blueschist include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Banded iron formation and Blueschist
Here you can know more about Banded iron formation and Blueschist. 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 Blueschist consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Banded iron formation includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz and mineral content of Blueschist includes Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Banded iron formation vs Blueschist, 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, Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors. Appearance of Banded iron formation is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Blueschist is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Banded iron formation vs Blueschist. The hardness of Banded iron formation is 5.5-6 and that of Blueschist is 3.5-4. The types of Banded iron formation are Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite whereas types of Blueschist are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Banded iron formation is white while that of Blueschist is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Banded iron formation is 3.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Blueschist is Not Available. 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 Blueschist is impact resistant, pressure resistant.