Granite

Taconite

Granite vs Taconite

Granite

Taconite

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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

Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica

History

Origin

Western Australia, Minnesota

Discoverer

Alexander von Humboldt

Newton Horace Winchell

Etymology

From Italian granito, which means grained rock, from grano grain, and from Latin granum

From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular, Phaneritic

Banded, Trellis

Color

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

Red, Reddish Brown

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Veined or Pebbled

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

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

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones, Used in aquariums

As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

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

Iron formation

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock

Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

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

Sculpture

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

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Present

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

Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-75.5-6

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous

Earthy

Compressive Strength

175.00 N/mm²190.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.75-5.3

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.65-2.75 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.79 kJ/Kg K3.20 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

Africa

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

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic

Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Granite vs Taconite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Granite and Taconite Reserves. Granite is a very hard, granular, crystalline igneous rock which consists mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar and is often used as building stone. Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Granite vs Taconite information and Granite vs Taconite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Granite vs Taconite 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. Granite vs Taconite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Granite and Properties of Taconite. Learn more about Granite vs Taconite in the next section. The interior uses of Granite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Taconite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Granite and Taconite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Granite in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Taconite include As dimension stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..

More about Granite and Taconite

Here you can know more about Granite and Taconite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Granite and Taconite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Granite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Taconite includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Granite vs Taconite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas, Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Granite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Taconite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Granite vs Taconite. The hardness of Granite is 6-7 and that of Taconite is 5.5-6. The types of Granite are Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite, Hybrid Granite, Granodiorite and Alkali Feldspar Granite whereas types of Taconite are Iron formation. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Granite and Taconite is white. The specific heat capacity of Granite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Taconite is 3.20 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Granite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Taconite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.