Definition
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
Discoverer
Unknown
Cornish Gossen
Etymology
From quartz + -ite
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Granular
Rough, Sandy
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Lustrous
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes
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
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
Types
Not Available
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
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
Formation
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.
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
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Indiscernible
Not Available
Toughness
1.9
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.8
2.0
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.32-2.42 g/cm3
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Bahamas, Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
Quartzite 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. Quartzite vs Gossan characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Quartzite and Properties of Gossan. Learn more about Quartzite vs Gossan in the next section. The interior uses of Quartzite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Homes whereas the interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Quartzite and Gossan, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Quartzite in construction industry include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of glass and ceramics, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Gossan include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Quartzite and Gossan
Here you can know more about Quartzite and Gossan. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Quartzite and Gossan consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Quartzite includes Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz 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 Quartzite vs Gossan, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors whereas, Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. Appearance of Quartzite is Lustrous and that of Gossan is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Quartzite vs Gossan. The hardness of Quartzite is 6-7 and that of Gossan is 4-5. The types of Quartzite are Not Available 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 Quartzite is white while that of Gossan is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Quartzite is 0.75 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.Quartzite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Gossan is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.