Pyroxenite and Gossan
Definition
Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
History
Origin
Unknown
Indonesia
Discoverer
Unknown
Cornish Gossen
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
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
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Rough, Sandy
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
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
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull and Banded
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
Types
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
Formation
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
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
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Transformation
Metamorphism
Yes
No
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Weathering
Yes
No
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Erosion
Yes
Yes
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
7
4-5
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Metallic
Cleavage
Irregular
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
2.0
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
Not Available
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
0.24 kJ/Kg K
24
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Reserves
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
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Pyroxenite and Gossan Properties
Know all about Pyroxenite and Gossan properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pyroxenite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Gossan belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Gossan is Rough, Sandy. Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Gossan appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Gossan is metallic. Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. The commercial uses of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone.
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