Definition
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Origin
Indonesia
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Cornish Gossen
Unknown
Etymology
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
From its formation process
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Rough, Sandy
Banded, Trellis
Color
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.
The banded iron layers are formed in sea water when oxygen is released by photosynthetic cyano-bacteria. The oxygen then combines with dissolved iron in ocean to form insoluble iron oxides, which precipitated out, forming a thin layer of banded iron formation on ocean floor.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Cleavage
Not Available
Imperfect
Toughness
Not Available
1.5
Specific Gravity
2.0
5.0-5.3
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
Not Available
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia