Definition
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine
  
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
  
History
  
  
Origin
Hawaii Islands
  
Indonesia
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Cornish Gossen
  
Etymology
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century
  
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
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Earthy, Rough
  
Rough, Sandy
  
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow
  
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
  
Dull and Banded
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Roadstone, 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, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
  
Types
Oceanite
  
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
  
Features
Host Rock for Lead
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
  
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
Not Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Picrite 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.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite
  
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
  
Compound Content
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Not Applicable
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6.8
  
4-5
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Fine to Medium Grained
  
Fracture
Uneven
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Metallic
  
Compressive Strength
189.00 N/mm
2
  
11
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Imperfect
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
2.1
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.75-2.92
  
2.0
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
1.5-2.5 g/cm3
  
Not Available
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.88 kJ/Kg K
  
13
0.24 kJ/Kg K
  
24
Resistance
Heat 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
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Not Yet Found
  
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
  
Picrite 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. Picrite vs Gossan characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Picrite and Properties of Gossan. Learn more about Picrite vs Gossan in the next section. The interior uses of Picrite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Picrite and Gossan, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Picrite in construction industry include As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Roadstone, 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 Picrite and Gossan
Here you can know more about Picrite and Gossan. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Picrite and Gossan consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Picrite includes Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, 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 . When we have to compare Picrite vs Gossan, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Picrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas, Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. Appearance of Picrite is Rough and Shiny and that of Gossan is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Picrite vs Gossan. The hardness of Picrite is 6.8 and that of Gossan is 4-5. The types of Picrite are Oceanite 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 Picrite is white, greenish white or grey while that of Gossan is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Picrite is 0.88 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.Picrite is heat resistant whereas Gossan is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.