Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
New Zealand
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From its formation process
From German which means hornstone
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Granular, Platy
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Biotite hornfels
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet 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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Andalusite
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Perfect
Toughness
1.5
Not Yet Found
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
3.4-3.9
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
0.25-0.30 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
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
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
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Banded iron formation vs Hornfels 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 Hornfels characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Banded iron formation and Properties of Hornfels. Learn more about Banded iron formation vs Hornfels in the next section. The interior uses of Banded iron formation include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Banded iron formation and Hornfels, 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 Hornfels include For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Banded iron formation and Hornfels
Here you can know more about Banded iron formation and Hornfels. 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 Hornfels consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Banded iron formation includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz and mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Banded iron formation vs Hornfels, 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, Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Banded iron formation is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Hornfels is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Banded iron formation vs Hornfels. The hardness of Banded iron formation is 5.5-6 and that of Hornfels is 2-3. The types of Banded iron formation are Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite whereas types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels. 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 Hornfels is unknown. The specific heat capacity of Banded iron formation is 3.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Hornfels is 0.84 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 Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.