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Carbonatite
Carbonatite

Skarn
Skarn



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Carbonatite vs Skarn

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Definition

Definition

Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals
Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin

History

Origin

Tanzania
USA, Australia

Discoverer

Unknown
Tornebohm

Etymology

From any intrusive igneous rock, having a majority of carbonate minerals
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.

Class

Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic
-

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Texture

Granular, Poikiloblastic
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Maintenance

Less
Less

Durability

Durable
Durable

Water Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated
Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing
Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Gold and Silver production, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
-

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Types

Carbonatite
Endoskarns

Features

Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

-
-

Famous Monuments

-
-

Sculpture

-
-

Famous Sculptures

-
-

Pictographs

-
-

Petroglyphs

-
-

Figurines

-
-

Fossils

Absent
Absent

Formation

Formation

Carbonatites are intrusive or extrusive igneous rocks which are defined by mineralogic composition consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals and are formed due to low degrees of partial melting of rocks.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Skarn is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

Composition

Mineral Content

Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite

Compound Content

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-

Erosion

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
-

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

36.5
1 7
👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal
Irregular

Streak

White
Light to dark brown

Porosity

Less Porous
Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull
Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

75.00 N/mm270.00 N/mm2
0.15 450
👆🏻

Cleavage

-
Slaty

Toughness

1
2.4

Specific Gravity

2.86-2.872.86
0 8.4
👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque
Opaque

Density

2.84-2.86 g/cm32.8-2.9 g/cm3
0 1400
👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.51 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K
0.14 3.2
👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka

Africa

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
United Kingdom

Others

Greenland
-

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA
Canada

South America

Brazil
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand
Central Australia, Western Australia

Carbonatite vs Skarn Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Carbonatite and Skarn Reserves. Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals. Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Carbonatite vs Skarn information and Carbonatite vs Skarn characteristics in the upcoming sections.

Carbonatite vs Skarn 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. Carbonatite vs Skarn characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Carbonatite and Properties of Skarn. Learn more about Carbonatite vs Skarn in the next section. The interior uses of Carbonatite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Carbonatite and Skarn, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Carbonatite in construction industry include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Skarn include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Gold and silver production, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.

More about Carbonatite and Skarn

Here you can know more about Carbonatite and Skarn. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Carbonatite and Skarn consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Carbonatite includes Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite and mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Carbonatite vs Skarn, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Carbonatite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Skarn is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Carbonatite is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Skarn is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Carbonatite vs Skarn. The hardness of Carbonatite is 3 and that of Skarn is 6.5. The types of Carbonatite are Carbonatite whereas types of Skarn are Endoskarns. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Carbonatite is white while that of Skarn is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Carbonatite is 0.51 kJ/Kg K and that of Skarn 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.Carbonatite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Skarn is heat resistant.