Definition
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
  
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
  
History
  
  
Origin
Indonesia
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Cornish Gossen
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
  
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Rough, Sandy
  
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
  
Color
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
  
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
  
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
  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
  
Types
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
  
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
  
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
  
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, 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
  
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.
  
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
  
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Impact 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
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
4-5
  
7
  
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
  
Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White to Grey
  
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Metallic
  
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
  
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Irregular
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.0
  
3.2-3.5
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
Not Available
  
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.24 kJ/Kg K
  
24
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
  
India, Russia
  
Africa
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
  
South Africa
  
Europe
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
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
  
Gossan vs Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gossan and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Gossan vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Gossan and Pyroxenite, 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 Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Gossan and Pyroxenite
Here you can know more about Gossan and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gossan and Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Gossan vs Pyroxenite, 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, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Gossan is Dull and Banded and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gossan vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Gossan is 4-5 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Gossan are Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. 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 Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Gossan is 0.24 kJ/Kg K and that of Pyroxenite is Not Available. 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 Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.