Definition
Mugearite is a type of oligoclase bearing basalt, also comprising of olivine, apatite, and opaque oxides
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
Origin
Skye, Scotland
Indonesia
Discoverer
Alfred Harker
Cornish Gossen
Etymology
From mugear + -ite
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Rough, Sandy
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Mugearite forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
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
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
-
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.0
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
South Africa
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Iceland
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Mugearite and Gossan Properties
Know all about Mugearite and Gossan properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Mugearite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Gossan belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Mugearite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular whereas that of Gossan is Rough, Sandy. Mugearite appears Dull and Soft and Gossan appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Mugearite is while that of Gossan is metallic. Mugearite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. The commercial uses of Mugearite are creating artwork and that of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone.