Definition
Scoria is a dark-colored extrusive igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities
Mugearite is a type of oligoclase bearing basalt, also comprising of olivine, apatite, and opaque oxides
Discoverer
Unknown
Alfred Harker
Etymology
From late Middle English (denoting slag from molten metal), from Greek skōria refuse, from skōr dung
From mugear + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Vesicular
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Grey to Black, Red
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy and Vesicular
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, Creating Artwork, High-temperature insulation, In gas barbecue grills
Creating Artwork
Types
Basaltic Scoria and Andesitic Scoria
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Surfaces are often shiny
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Scoria forms when magma containing huge amount of dissolved gas flows from a volcano during an eruption.
Mugearite forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
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Grain Size
Fine Grained
-
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
-
Specific Gravity
-9999
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
India, Russia
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
South Africa
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Iceland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
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