Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
Italy
Discoverer
Johann Gottlob Lehmann
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
Etymology
From its formation process
From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Banded
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Fibrous
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, 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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Thermal Travertine and Tufa
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
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Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
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.
Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen
Types of 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
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Splintery
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Earthy
Dull to Pearly
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
1.68
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.71 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
China, Russia
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
-
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
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Banded iron formation vs Travertine 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 Travertine characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Banded iron formation and Properties of Travertine. Learn more about Banded iron formation vs Travertine in the next section. The interior uses of Banded iron formation include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Travertine include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Banded iron formation and Travertine, 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 Travertine include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Banded iron formation and Travertine
Here you can know more about Banded iron formation and Travertine. 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 Travertine consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Banded iron formation includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz and mineral content of Travertine includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Banded iron formation vs Travertine, 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, Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Banded iron formation is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Travertine is Fibrous. Properties of rock is another aspect for Banded iron formation vs Travertine. The hardness of Banded iron formation is 5.5-6 and that of Travertine is 3-4. The types of Banded iron formation are Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite whereas types of Travertine are Thermal Travertine and Tufa. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Banded iron formation and Travertine is white. The specific heat capacity of Banded iron formation is 3.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Travertine is 1.09 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 Travertine is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.