Pegmatite

Skarn

Pegmatite and Skarn

Pegmatite

Skarn

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Definition

Pegmatite rock is a holocrystalline, intrusive igneous rock which is composed of interlocking phaneritic crystals

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

USA, Australia

Discoverer

R. J. Hauy

Tornebohm

Etymology

From Greek pegma, pegmat which means- thing joined together + -ite

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

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Pegmatitic

Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough

Color

Black, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping

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

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Granite Pegmatite, Gabbro Pegmatite and Diorite Pegmatite

Endoskarns

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz

Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Pegmatite rock is holocrystalline, intrusive igneous rock which is formed by partial melting and dewatering during the process of metamorphism.

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

Apatite, Beryl, Feldspar, Fluorite, Garnet, Lepidolite, Quartz, Silica, Spodumene, Topaz

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

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, Phosphorus Pentoxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

76.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

White

Light to dark brown

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

178.54 N/mm²70.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Slaty

Toughness

2.1

2.4

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.632.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.6-2.65 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.79 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

China, India, Iran, Japan, Nepal, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea

China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka

Africa

South Africa

South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Austria, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine

United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada

South America

Brazil

Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Pegmatite and Skarn Properties

Know all about Pegmatite and Skarn properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pegmatite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Skarn belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Pegmatite is Pegmatitic whereas that of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough. Pegmatite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Skarn appears Dull. The luster of Pegmatite is grainy, pearly and vitreous while that of Skarn is waxy and dull. Pegmatite and Skarn are available in black, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, rust, silver, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Pegmatite are creating artwork, jewelry, source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz and that of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo).