Diorite

Skarn

Diorite and Skarn

Diorite

Skarn

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Definition

Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene

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

USA, Australia

Discoverer

Unknown

Tornebohm

Etymology

From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish

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, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough

Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Shiny

Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road 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

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Curling

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

Types

Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite

Endoskarns

Features

Typically speckled black and white.

Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock which contains large interlocking and randomly oriented crystals and forms when molten lava does not reach the Earth’s surface and cools down in the Earth’s crust.

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

Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon

Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional 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, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-76.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Streak

Bluish Black

Light to dark brown

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Shiny

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²70.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.1

2.4

Specific Gravity

2.8-32.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-3 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka

Africa

Egypt

South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Diorite and Skarn Properties

Know all about Diorite and Skarn properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diorite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Skarn belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Diorite is Phaneritic whereas that of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough. Diorite appears Shiny and Skarn appears Dull. The luster of Diorite is shiny while that of Skarn is waxy and dull. Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Skarn is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Diorite are creating artwork, curling and that of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo).