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Coquina and Skarn


Skarn and Coquina


Definition

Definition
Coquina is a sedimentary rock that is composed either wholly or almost entirely of the transported, abraded, and mechanically-sorted fragments of the shells of molluscs, trilobites, brachiopods, or other invertebrates   
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
European Foreland Basins   
USA, Australia   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Tornebohm   

Etymology
From Concha (Latin)+ Coquina(Spanish) +conch(English)= Couquina (mid 19th century)   
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Clastic   
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough   

Color
Beige, Buff, Orange   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White   

Maintenance
More   
Less   

Durability
Non-Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate   
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
Not Yet Used   
Not Applicable   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork   
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Endoskarns   

Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock   
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Present   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Coquina is a sedimentary rock which is formed when billions of small clam-like seashell, called Coquina, or cockleshell are die and hence are deposited, buried and turns into a rock when pressure is applied.   
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
Apatite, Augite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Clay Minerals, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Micas, Muscovite or Illite   
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite   

Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO   
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
No   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
Yes   
No   

Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
1-2   
6.5   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Irregular   
Irregular   

Streak
White   
Light to dark brown   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   
Waxy and Dull   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Slaty   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.4   

Specific Gravity
1.10-2.24   
2.86   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Not Yet Found   
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka   

Africa
Not Yet Found   
South Africa, Western Africa   

Europe
United Kingdom   
United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada   

South America
Not Yet Found   
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Coquina and Skarn Properties

Know all about Coquina and Skarn properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Coquina belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Skarn belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Coquina is Clastic whereas that of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough. Coquina appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Skarn appears Dull. The luster of Coquina is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Skarn is waxy and dull. Coquina is available in beige, buff, orange colors whereas Skarn is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Coquina are creating artwork and that of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo).

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