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Hornfels
Hornfels

Skarn
Skarn



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Hornfels
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Skarn

Hornfels vs Skarn

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Definition

Definition

Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
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

New Zealand
USA, Australia

Discoverer

Unknown
Tornebohm

Etymology

From German which means hornstone
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.

Class

Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable
Not Applicable

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Texture

Granular, Platy
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough

Color

Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Maintenance

Less
Less

Durability

Durable
Durable

Water Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Dull
Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing
Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
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 Available
Not Applicable

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Types

Biotite hornfels
Endoskarns

Features

Smooth to touch
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used
Used

Famous Monuments

Not Available
Not Available

Sculpture

Not Yet Used
Used

Famous Sculptures

Not Applicable
Not Available

Pictographs

Used
Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used
Not Used

Figurines

Not Yet Used
Used

Fossils

Absent
Absent

Formation

Formation

Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
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

Andalusite
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite

Compound Content

Fe, Mg
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering
Not Applicable

Erosion

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-36.5
1 7
👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained
Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal
Irregular

Streak

Unknown
Light to dark brown

Porosity

Highly Porous
Less Porous

Luster

Shiny
Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

5.80 N/mm2NA
0.15 450
👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect
Slaty

Toughness

Not Available
2.4

Specific Gravity

3.4-3.92.86
0 8.4
👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque
Opaque

Density

0.25-0.30 g/cm32.8-2.9 g/cm3
0 1400
👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K
0.14 3.2
👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka

Africa

Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

United Kingdom
United Kingdom

Others

Not Available
Not Available

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA
Canada

South America

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia

Hornfels vs Skarn 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 Hornfels and Skarn Reserves. Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock. Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin. 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 Hornfels vs Skarn information and Hornfels vs Skarn characteristics in the upcoming sections.

Hornfels vs Skarn 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. Hornfels vs Skarn characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Hornfels and Properties of Skarn. Learn more about Hornfels vs Skarn in the next section. The interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Hornfels and Skarn, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Hornfels in construction industry include For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Skarn include 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.

More about Hornfels and Skarn

Here you can know more about Hornfels and Skarn. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Hornfels and Skarn consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite and mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Hornfels vs Skarn, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors whereas, Skarn is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Hornfels is Dull and that of Skarn is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Hornfels vs Skarn. The hardness of Hornfels is 2-3 and that of Skarn is 6.5. The types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels whereas types of Skarn are Endoskarns. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Hornfels is unknown while that of Skarn is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Hornfels is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Skarn is heat resistant.