Definition
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
Shoshonite is a basaltic rock, properly a potassic trachyandesite, composed of olivine, augite and plagioclase phenocrysts in a groundmass with calcic plagioclase and sanidine and some dark-colored volcanic glass
Origin
Indonesia
Wyoming,USA
Discoverer
Cornish Gossen
Iddings
Etymology
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Rough, Sandy
Porphyritic
Color
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Brown- Black, Dark Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Dull
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
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.
Shoshonite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Not Available
Poor
Toughness
Not Available
1.6
Specific Gravity
2.0
2.98
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.9-3 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure 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
Iceland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
Gossan vs Shoshonite 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 Shoshonite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gossan and Properties of Shoshonite. Learn more about Gossan vs Shoshonite in the next section. The interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Shoshonite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Gossan and Shoshonite, 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 Shoshonite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Gossan and Shoshonite
Here you can know more about Gossan and Shoshonite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gossan and Shoshonite 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 Shoshonite includes Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Gossan vs Shoshonite, 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, Shoshonite is available in brown- black, dark brown colors. Appearance of Gossan is Dull and Banded and that of Shoshonite is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gossan vs Shoshonite. The hardness of Gossan is 4-5 and that of Shoshonite is 6. The types of Gossan are Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan whereas types of Shoshonite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Gossan and Shoshonite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Gossan is 0.24 kJ/Kg K and that of Shoshonite 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 Shoshonite is heat resistant, pressure resistant.