Diorite

Taconite

Diorite and Taconite

Diorite

Taconite

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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

Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica

History

Origin

Western Australia, Minnesota

Discoverer

Unknown

Newton Horace Winchell

Etymology

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

From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Banded, Trellis

Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Red, Reddish Brown

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Shiny

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Curling

As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite

Iron formation

Features

Typically speckled black and white.

Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Present

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.

Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-75.5-6

1 7

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Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Large and Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

Bluish Black

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Shiny

Earthy

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²190.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

2.1

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.8-35-5.3

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.8-3 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K3.20 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

Africa

Egypt

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

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

Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Diorite and Taconite Properties

Know all about Diorite and Taconite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diorite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Taconite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Diorite is Phaneritic whereas that of Taconite is Banded, Trellis. Diorite appears Shiny and Taconite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Diorite is shiny while that of Taconite is earthy. Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors. The commercial uses of Diorite are creating artwork, curling and that of Taconite are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork.