Porphyry

Skarn

Porphyry vs Skarn

Porphyry

Skarn

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Definition

Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix

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

Egypt

USA, Australia

Discoverer

Unknown

Tornebohm

Etymology

From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites

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

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Porphyritic

Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Construction Aggregate

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, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry

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

Types

Rhomb Porphyry

Endoskarns

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.

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

Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica

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

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

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

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-76.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Streak

White

Light to dark brown

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²70.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

1.7

2.4

Specific Gravity

2.5-42.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.5-2.52 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.71 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

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

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa

South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland

United Kingdom

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA

Canada

South America

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay

Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

Porphyry vs Skarn Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Porphyry and Skarn Reserves. Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix. Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Porphyry vs Skarn information and Porphyry vs Skarn characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Porphyry vs Skarn 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. Porphyry vs Skarn characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Porphyry and Properties of Skarn. Learn more about Porphyry vs Skarn in the next section. The interior uses of Porphyry include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Porphyry and Skarn, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Porphyry in construction industry include Construction aggregate and that of Skarn include 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.

More about Porphyry and Skarn

Here you can know more about Porphyry and Skarn. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Porphyry and Skarn consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Porphyry includes Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica and mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Porphyry vs Skarn, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Porphyry is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, rust, white colors whereas, Skarn is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Porphyry is Dull and that of Skarn is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Porphyry vs Skarn. The hardness of Porphyry is 6-7 and that of Skarn is 6.5. The types of Porphyry are Rhomb Porphyry whereas types of Skarn are Endoskarns. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Porphyry is white while that of Skarn is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Porphyry is 0.71 kJ/Kg K and that of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Porphyry is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Skarn is heat resistant.