Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
Indonesia
Discoverer
Johann Gottlob Lehmann
Cornish Gossen
Etymology
From its formation process
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Rough, Sandy
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Archaeological Significance
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.
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea 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
2.0
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
Banded iron formation vs Gossan 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 Gossan characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Banded iron formation and Properties of Gossan. Learn more about Banded iron formation vs Gossan in the next section. The interior uses of Banded iron formation include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Banded iron formation and Gossan, 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 Gossan include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Banded iron formation and Gossan
Here you can know more about Banded iron formation and Gossan. 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 Gossan consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Banded iron formation includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz and mineral content of Gossan includes Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Banded iron formation vs Gossan, 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, Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. Appearance of Banded iron formation is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Gossan is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Banded iron formation vs Gossan. The hardness of Banded iron formation is 5.5-6 and that of Gossan is 4-5. The types of Banded iron formation are Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite whereas types of Gossan are Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan. 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 Gossan is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Banded iron formation is 3.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Gossan is 0.24 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 Gossan is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.