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
Origin
Unknown
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
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
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, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
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
Curbing
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
Not Yet Used
Not Applicable
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Endoskarns
Features
Typically speckled black and white.
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
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.
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
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Irregular
Streak
Bluish Black
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Slaty
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-3 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
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
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Diorite 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. Diorite vs Skarn characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diorite and Properties of Skarn. Learn more about Diorite vs Skarn in the next section. The interior uses of Diorite 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 Diorite and Skarn, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Diorite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate 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 Diorite and Skarn
Here you can know more about Diorite and Skarn. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diorite and Skarn consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Diorite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon 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 Diorite vs Skarn, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas, Skarn is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Diorite is Shiny and that of Skarn is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diorite vs Skarn. The hardness of Diorite is 6-7 and that of Skarn is 6.5. The types of Diorite are Not Available 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 Diorite is bluish black while that of Skarn is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Diorite is Not Available 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.Diorite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Skarn is heat resistant.