Definition
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
During the impact melted material forming a breccia containing glass and crystal or lithic fragments together form Suevite rock.
Origin
Indonesia
Canada, Germany
Discoverer
Cornish Gossen
Unknown
Etymology
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
No etymologies found
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Rough, Sandy
Earthy
Color
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Banded
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing 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, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Phyllosilicates, Calcite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Host Rock for Lead
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.
Suevite is a metamorphic rock consisting partly of melted material, typically forming a breccia containing glass and crystal or lithic fragments, formed during an impact event.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Coesite, Quartz, Stishovite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
2.0
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
-
Africa
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
-
Europe
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
England, France, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
-
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
-
All about Gossan and Suevite Properties
Know all about Gossan and Suevite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gossan and Suevite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Gossan is Rough, Sandy whereas that of Suevite is Earthy. Gossan appears Dull and Banded and Suevite appears Banded. The luster of Gossan is metallic while that of Suevite is earthy. Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors whereas Suevite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink colors. The commercial uses of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone and that of Suevite are as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo).