Definition
Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica
Origin
France
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Unknown
Newton Horace Winchell
Etymology
From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Amorphous, Glassy
Banded, Trellis
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Not Yet Used
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Not Yet Used
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Steel Production
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Not Yet Used
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Electricity Generation
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite
Not Available
Features
Generally rough to touch, Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Coal formation takes place due to accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. The Coal formation process continues, as peat turns into lignite brown or black coal at increasing heat and pressure.
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.
Mineral Content
Not Available
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Earthy
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Imperfect
Toughness
Not Available
1.5
Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4
5-5.3
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
800-801 g/cm3
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
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, Mexico, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Lignite 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. Lignite vs Taconite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Lignite and Properties of Taconite. Learn more about Lignite vs Taconite in the next section. The interior uses of Lignite include Not yet used whereas the interior uses of Taconite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Lignite and Taconite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Lignite in construction industry include For road aggregate, Steel production and that of Taconite include As dimension stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Lignite and Taconite
Here you can know more about Lignite and Taconite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Lignite and Taconite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Lignite is not available and mineral content of Taconite includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Lignite vs Taconite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Lignite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors whereas, Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Lignite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Taconite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Lignite vs Taconite. The hardness of Lignite is 1 and that of Taconite is 5.5-6. The types of Lignite are Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite whereas types of Taconite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Lignite is black while that of Taconite is white. The specific heat capacity of Lignite is 1.26 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.Lignite is heat resistant whereas Taconite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.