Definition
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
Discoverer
Cornish Gossen
Unknown
Etymology
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Rough, Sandy
Brecciated, Clastic
Color
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.
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.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Metallic
Dull to Pearly
Specific Gravity
2.0
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
0 g/cm3
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, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
All about Gossan and Breccia Properties
Know all about Gossan and Breccia properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gossan belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Breccia belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Gossan is Rough, Sandy whereas that of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic. Gossan appears Dull and Banded and Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Gossan is metallic while that of Breccia is dull to pearly. Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust 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 Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone and that of Breccia are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.