Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Marl is an unconsolidated sedimentary rock consisting of clay and lime
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
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Discoverer
Johann Gottlob Lehmann
William Smith
Etymology
From its formation process
From Old French marle, from Late Latin marglia
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Earthy
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Beige, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Clay Marl ,Blue Marl, Red Marl, High Bank Marl, Shell Layer Marl, Under Shell Layer Marl, Sand Marl, Green Marl, Grey Marl and Clayey Marl
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Splintery, Very fine grained rock
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.
Marl forms when very fine-grained clay particles are deposited in water which settles at the bottom of water bodies and are compacted by overlying sediment; the water squeezes out and hence forming Marl rock.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Dolomite, Gypsum, Micas, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
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Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
India, Pakistan, Russia
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
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Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia
Banded iron formation vs Marl 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 Marl characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Banded iron formation and Properties of Marl. Learn more about Banded iron formation vs Marl in the next section. The interior uses of Banded iron formation include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Marl include Decorative aggregates and Floor tiles. Due to some exceptional properties of Banded iron formation and Marl, 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 Marl include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Banded iron formation and Marl
Here you can know more about Banded iron formation and Marl. 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 Marl consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Banded iron formation includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz and mineral content of Marl includes Calcite, Clay, Dolomite, Gypsum, Micas, Pyrite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Banded iron formation vs Marl, 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, Marl is available in beige, brown, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Banded iron formation is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Marl is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Banded iron formation vs Marl. The hardness of Banded iron formation is 5.5-6 and that of Marl is 2-3. The types of Banded iron formation are Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite whereas types of Marl are Clay Marl ,Blue Marl, Red Marl, High Bank Marl, Shell Layer Marl, Under Shell Layer Marl, Sand Marl, Green Marl, Grey Marl and Clayey Marl. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Banded iron formation and Marl is white. The specific heat capacity of Banded iron formation is 3.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Marl is 0.80 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 Marl is heat resistant, impact resistant.