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.
  
A water-soluble mineral sediment resulting from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution
  
History
  
  
Origin
England
  
USA
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Usiglio
  
Etymology
From gan′is-ter i.e a hard, close-grained siliceous stone, often forming the stratum which underlies a coal-seam
  
From a sediment left after the evaporation
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Rough
  
Earthy
  
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
  
Colourless, Green, Grey, Silver, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough
  
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
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 a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
  
Used in the manufacture of Ceramic Powder, Used in the preparation of Sulfuric Acid and Silicon Diborite
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Generally rough to touch, Splintery, Veined
  
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
Not Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet 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.
  
Evaporite is water-soluble mineral sediment which forms from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
  
Calcite, Cancrinite, Gypsum, Kyanite, Magnetite
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
CaMg(CO3)2, CaO, Calcium Sulfate, KCl, MgO, NaCl
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Not Applicable
  
Erosion
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Erosion
Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Not Applicable
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
2-3
  
Grain Size
Coarse or Fine
  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Splintery
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm2
  
20
225.00 N/mm2
  
7
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Perfect
  
Toughness
2.6
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
2.86-2.99
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Translucent
  
Density
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
  
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
  
Not Available
  
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Not Available
  
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
United Kingdom
  
Others
Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Colombia, Paraguay
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
Central Australia, Western Australia
  
All about Ganister and Evaporite Properties
Know all about Ganister and Evaporite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Ganister and Evaporite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Ganister is Clastic, Granular, Rough whereas that of Evaporite is Earthy. Ganister appears Rough and Evaporite appears Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Ganister is dull while that of Evaporite is subvitreous to dull. 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 Evaporite is available in colourless, green, grey, silver, white 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 Evaporite are used in the manufacture of ceramic powder, used in the preparation of sulfuric acid and silicon diborite.