Definition
A ganister is a hard, fine-grained quartzose sandstone or orthoquartzite which is basically used in the manufacture of silica brick typically used to line furnaces and is a type of sedimentary rocks.
  
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
  
History
  
  
Origin
England
  
England
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From gan′is-ter i.e a hard, close-grained siliceous stone, often forming the stratum which underlies a coal-seam
  
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Rough
  
Brecciated, Clastic
  
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
  
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough
  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
  
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
  
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
  
Types
Not Available
  
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Present
  
Present
  
Formation
Ganisters are formed by the destruction of easily weathered minerals mainly feldspar, within the surface horizon of soil by soil-forming processes.
  
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
  
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
7
  
Grain Size
Coarse or Fine
  
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Splintery
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Dull to Pearly
  
Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm
2
  
20
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
2.6
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
2.86-2.87
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
  
0 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
  
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
  
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Others
Greenland
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
All about Ganister and Breccia Properties
Know all about Ganister and Breccia properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Ganister and Breccia belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Ganister is Clastic, Granular, Rough whereas that of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic. Ganister appears Rough and Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Ganister is dull while that of Breccia is dull to pearly. Ganister is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors whereas Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Ganister are an oil and gas reservoir, in aquifers, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones and that of Breccia are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.