Definition
Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
Origin
Central Europe
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin granulum, a little grain or fine grained
From its formation process
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granoblastic
Banded, Trellis
Color
Black, Brown
Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Soil Conditioner, Tombstones
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Granulite is a fine-grained granular metamorphic rock in which the main component minerals are feldspars and quartz and forms at high temperature and pressure conditions.
The banded iron layers are formed in sea water when oxygen is released by photosynthetic cyano-bacteria. The oxygen then combines with dissolved iron in ocean to form insoluble iron oxides, which precipitated out, forming a thin layer of banded iron formation on ocean floor.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Imperfect
Toughness
Not Available
1.5
Specific Gravity
2.8-3.0
5.0-5.3
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
3.06-3.33 g/cm3
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
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, Nigeria, South Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia