Definition
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Origin
England
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
From its formation process
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Brecciated, Clastic
Banded, Trellis
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
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
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Earthy
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Imperfect
Toughness
Not Available
1.5
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
5.0-5.3
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
0 g/cm3
Not Available
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Breccia and Banded iron formation Properties
Know all about Breccia and Banded iron formation properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Breccia and Banded iron formation belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic whereas that of Banded iron formation is Banded, Trellis. Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Banded iron formation appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Breccia is dull to pearly while that of Banded iron formation is earthy. Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors whereas Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors. The commercial uses of Breccia are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry and that of Banded iron formation are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork.