Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
  
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers
  
History
  
  
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From its formation process
  
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Banded, Trellis
  
Clastic or Non-Clastic
  
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
  
Grey, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Soft
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
  
Powder
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Alumina Refineries, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Paper Industry, Production of Lime, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, Soil Conditioner, Whiting, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
  
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
  
Not Available
  
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, 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
  
Fossils
Present
  
Present
  
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.
  
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
  
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
  
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Ca, NaCl, CaO
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5.5-6
  
1
  
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
  
Not Available
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Earthy
  
Dull
  
Cleavage
Imperfect
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
1.5
  
1
  
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
  
2.3-2.4
  
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
Not Available
  
2.49-2.50 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
3.20 kJ/Kg K
  
1
0.90 kJ/Kg K
  
12
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
  
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
  
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
  
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
  
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
  
Colombia
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
  
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
  
Banded iron formation vs Chalk 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 Chalk characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Banded iron formation and Properties of Chalk. Learn more about Banded iron formation vs Chalk in the next section. The interior uses of Banded iron formation include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Chalk include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Banded iron formation and Chalk, 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 Chalk include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium.
More about Banded iron formation and Chalk
Here you can know more about Banded iron formation and Chalk. 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 Chalk consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Banded iron formation includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz and mineral content of Chalk includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Banded iron formation vs Chalk, 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, Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Banded iron formation is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Chalk is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Banded iron formation vs Chalk. The hardness of Banded iron formation is 5.5-6 and that of Chalk is 1. The types of Banded iron formation are Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite whereas types of Chalk 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 and Chalk is white. The specific heat capacity of Banded iron formation is 3.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Chalk is 0.90 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 Chalk is heat resistant.