Definition
An iron rich extrusive rock found as a member of the alkali basalt magma series
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Origin
Isle of Mull, Scotland
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Ben More
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of discoverer, Ben More
From its formation process
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular
Banded, Trellis
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Benmoreite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
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.
Mineral Content
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Imperfect
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
5.0-5.3
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
South Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Iceland
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Benmoreite and Banded iron formation Properties
Know all about Benmoreite and Banded iron formation properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Benmoreite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Banded iron formation belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Benmoreite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular whereas that of Banded iron formation is Banded, Trellis. Benmoreite appears Rough and Dull and Banded iron formation appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Benmoreite and Banded iron formation is earthy. Benmoreite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors. The commercial uses of Benmoreite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling and that of Banded iron formation are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork.