Litchfieldite and Banded iron formation

Litchfieldite

Definition

Litchfieldite is a rare igneous rock which is coarse-grained, foliated and a variety of nepheline syenite, sometimes also called as nepheline syenite gneiss or gneissic nepeheline syenite

Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age

History

Origin

USA

Western Australia, Minnesota

Discoverer

Bayley

Unknown

Etymology

From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA

From its formation process

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular

Banded, Trellis

Color

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Red, Reddish Brown

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Paving Stone, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Curbing, Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics

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

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork

As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Borolanite and Litchfieldite

Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite

Features

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock

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

Used

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Litchfieldite 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.

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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

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

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Large and Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Greasy to Dull

Earthy

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²

Not Available

Cleavage

Poor

Imperfect

Toughness

Not Available

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.6

5.0-5.3

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.6 g/cm³

Not Available

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

3.20 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Not Yet Found

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

Africa

South Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Finland, Norway, Portugal

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

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Brazil

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Litchfieldite and Banded iron formation Properties

Know all about Litchfieldite and Banded iron formation properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Litchfieldite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Banded iron formation belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Litchfieldite is Granular whereas that of Banded iron formation is Banded, Trellis. Litchfieldite appears Banded and Foilated and Banded iron formation appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Litchfieldite is greasy to dull while that of Banded iron formation is earthy. Litchfieldite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Banded iron formation is available in red, reddish brown colors. The commercial uses of Litchfieldite are creating artwork and that of Banded iron formation are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork.