Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock. It is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimum crystal growth
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
Ethiopia
Discoverer
Unknown
Obsius
Etymology
From its formation process
From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Glassy
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Surgery
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
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.
When the lava is released from volcano, it undergoes a very rapid cooling which freezes the mechanisms of crystallization. The result is a volcanic glass with a uniform smooth texture.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Not Available
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
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Not Applicable
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Non-Existent
Toughness
1.5
Not Available
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent
Density
Not Available
2.6 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
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Kenya
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand
Banded iron formation vs Obsidian 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 Obsidian characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Banded iron formation and Properties of Obsidian. Learn more about Banded iron formation vs Obsidian in the next section. The interior uses of Banded iron formation include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Obsidian include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Banded iron formation and Obsidian, 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 Obsidian include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points.
More about Banded iron formation and Obsidian
Here you can know more about Banded iron formation and Obsidian. 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 Obsidian consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Banded iron formation includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz and mineral content of Obsidian is not available. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Banded iron formation vs Obsidian, 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, Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. Appearance of Banded iron formation is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Obsidian is Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Banded iron formation vs Obsidian. The hardness of Banded iron formation is 5.5-6 and that of Obsidian is 5-5.5. The types of Banded iron formation are Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite whereas types of Obsidian are Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Banded iron formation and Obsidian is white. The specific heat capacity of Banded iron formation is 3.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Obsidian is 0.92 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 Obsidian is heat resistant, impact resistant.