Definition
Lherzolite is a type of ultramafic igneous rock which contains essential olivine and clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene in equal proportions
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
Discoverer
Unknown
Cornish Gossen
Etymology
From the Lherz Massif, an alpine peridotite complex, at Étang de Lers, near Massat in the French Pyrenees; Lherz is the archaic spelling of this location
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Grenue
Rough, Sandy
Color
Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Pink, Purple
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Landscaping, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
As armour rock for sea walls, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
Types
Garnet Lherzolite
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Lherzolite 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.
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.
Mineral Content
Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Compound Content
CaO, Cr, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Metallic
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Not Available
Toughness
2.7
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.0
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia, South Korea
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Western Africa
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
Lherzolite vs Gossan 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. Lherzolite vs Gossan characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Lherzolite and Properties of Gossan. Learn more about Lherzolite vs Gossan in the next section. The interior uses of Lherzolite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Lherzolite and Gossan, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Lherzolite in construction industry include Landscaping, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills. and that of Gossan include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Lherzolite and Gossan
Here you can know more about Lherzolite and Gossan. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Lherzolite and Gossan consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Lherzolite includes Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite and mineral content of Gossan includes Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Lherzolite vs Gossan, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Lherzolite is available in black, dark greenish - grey, green, pink, purple colors whereas, Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. Appearance of Lherzolite is Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated and that of Gossan is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Lherzolite vs Gossan. The hardness of Lherzolite is 6.5 and that of Gossan is 4-5. The types of Lherzolite are Garnet Lherzolite whereas types of Gossan are Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Lherzolite is white while that of Gossan is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Lherzolite is 0.95 kJ/Kg K and that of Gossan is 0.24 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Lherzolite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Gossan is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.