Definition
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
  
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster
  
History
  
  
Origin
Indonesia
  
Pennsylvania, U.S.
  
Discoverer
Cornish Gossen
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
  
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Rough, Sandy
  
Amorphous, Glassy
  
Color
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
  
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Dull and Banded
  
Veined or Pebbled
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Not Yet Used
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Not Yet Used
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Not Yet Used
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Not Yet Used
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
  
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry
  
Types
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
  
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite
  
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
  
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
  
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
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.
  
Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
  
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
  
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
No
  
No
  
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Erosion
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Not Applicable
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
4-5
  
1-1.5
  
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White to Grey
  
Black
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Metallic
  
Shiny
  
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.0
  
1.1-1.4
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
Not Available
  
1.25-2.5 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.24 kJ/Kg K
  
24
1.32 kJ/Kg K
  
4
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
  
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
  
Africa
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
  
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
  
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, Mexico, USA
  
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
  
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
  
Gossan vs Anthracite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Gossan vs Anthracite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gossan and Properties of Anthracite. Learn more about Gossan vs Anthracite in the next section. The interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Anthracite include Not yet used. Due to some exceptional properties of Gossan and Anthracite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Gossan in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Anthracite include Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel production.
More about Gossan and Anthracite
Here you can know more about Gossan and Anthracite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gossan and Anthracite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Gossan includes Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon and mineral content of Anthracite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals. You can also check out the list of all . When we have to compare Gossan vs Anthracite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors whereas, Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Gossan is Dull and Banded and that of Anthracite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gossan vs Anthracite. The hardness of Gossan is 4-5 and that of Anthracite is 1-1.5. The types of Gossan are Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan whereas types of Anthracite are Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Gossan is white to grey while that of Anthracite is black. The specific heat capacity of Gossan is 0.24 kJ/Kg K and that of Anthracite is 1.32 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Gossan is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Anthracite is heat resistant, water resistant.