Dunite and Gossan

Dunite

Gossan

Definition

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.

History

Origin

New Zealand

Indonesia

Discoverer

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Cornish Gossen

Etymology

From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Rough, Sandy

Color

Dark Greenish - Grey

Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Rough and Shiny

Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

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

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone

Types

Not Available

Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan

Features

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Not Applicable

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-4

4-5

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Conchoidal

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Shiny

Metallic

Compressive Strength

107.55 N/mm²

Not Available

Cleavage

Imperfect

Not Available

Toughness

2.1

Not Available

Specific Gravity

3-3.01

2.0

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.84-2.85 g/cm³

Not Available

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.25 kJ/Kg K

0.24 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea

Africa

Morocco, South Africa

Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Dunite and Gossan Properties

Know all about Dunite and Gossan properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dunite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Gossan belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Dunite is Phaneritic whereas that of Gossan is Rough, Sandy. Dunite appears Rough and Shiny and Gossan appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Dunite is shiny while that of Gossan is metallic. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. The commercial uses of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds and that of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone.