Home
Compare Rocks


Gossan and Quartzite


Quartzite and Gossan


Definition

Definition
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.   
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone   

History
  
  

Origin
Indonesia   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Cornish Gossen   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit   
From quartz + -ite   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Rough, Sandy   
Foliated, Granular   

Color
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust   
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Dull and Banded   
Lustrous   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums   

Types

Types
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan   
Not Available   

Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates   
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.   
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon   
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
No   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
4-5   
6-7   

Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained   
Medium Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal   

Streak
White to Grey   
White   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Metallic   
Vitreous   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
115.00 N/mm2   
18

Cleavage
Not Available   
Indiscernible   

Toughness
Not Available   
1.9   

Specific Gravity
2.0   
2.6-2.8   

Transparency
Opaque   
Transparent to Translucent   

Density
Not Available   
2.32-2.42 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.24 kJ/Kg K   
24
0.75 kJ/Kg K   
18

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea   
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey   

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

Europe
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom   
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Bahamas, Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador   
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia   
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Gossan and Quartzite Properties

Know all about Gossan and Quartzite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gossan and Quartzite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Gossan is Rough, Sandy whereas that of Quartzite is Foliated, Granular. Gossan appears Dull and Banded and Quartzite appears Lustrous. The luster of Gossan is metallic while that of Quartzite is vitreous. Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors whereas Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone and that of Quartzite are an oil and gas reservoir, as armour rock for sea walls, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, in aquifers, laboratory bench tops, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones, used in aquariums.

Compare Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

» More Metamorphic Rocks

Compare Metamorphic Rocks

» More Compare Metamorphic Rocks