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Granite and Skarn


Skarn and Granite


Definition

Definition
Granite is a very hard, granular, crystalline igneous rock which consists mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar and is often used as building stone   
Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
USA, Australia   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Tornebohm   

Etymology
From Italian granito, which means grained rock, from grano grain, and from Latin granum   
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Granular, Phaneritic   
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough   

Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White   

Maintenance
More   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Veined or Pebbled   
Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads   
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone   
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Gold and Silver production, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Applicable   

Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones, Used in aquariums   
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite, Hybrid Granite, Granodiorite and Alkali Feldspar Granite   
Endoskarns   

Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock   
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Agia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Blue Domed Church in Santorini, Greece, Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in London, UK, Ephesus in Turkey, Georgia Guidestones in Georgia, US, Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Khajuraho Temples, India, Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, India, Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India, Signers Monument in Augusta, Georgia, Statue of Liberty in New York, USA, Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Tower Bridge in London, Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, US, Washington Monument, US   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Avukana Buddha Statue in Sri Lanka, Lincoln Memorial in America, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, US, The Colossal Red Granite Statue of Amenhotep III in Karnak, Egypt   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Granite is an intrusive igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks   
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Skarn is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz   
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
No   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
Yes   
No   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
6.5   

Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Not Available   
Irregular   

Streak
White   
Light to dark brown   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous   
Waxy and Dull   

Compressive Strength
175.00 N/mm2   
13
Not Available   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Slaty   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.4   

Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7   
2.86   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.65-2.75 g/cm3   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K   
16
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam   
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka   

Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   
South Africa, Western Africa   

Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela   
United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada   

South America
Not Yet Found   
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Granite and Skarn Properties

Know all about Granite and Skarn properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Skarn belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Granite is Granular, Phaneritic whereas that of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough. Granite appears Veined or Pebbled and Skarn appears Dull. The luster of Granite is dull to grainy with sporadic parts pearly and vitreous while that of Skarn is waxy and dull. Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Skarn is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Granite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo).

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