Scoria and Tuff

Scoria

Tuff

Tuff and Scoria

Definition

Scoria is a dark-colored extrusive igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities

Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption

History

Origin

Unknown

Italy

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From late Middle English (denoting slag from molten metal), from Greek skōria refuse, from skōr dung

From a Latin word tophous then in Italian tufo and finally tuff

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Vesicular

Clastic, Pyroclastic

Color

Black, Brown, Dark Grey to Black, Red

Brown, Grey, Yellow

Maintenance

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Glassy and Vesicular

Dull, Vesicular and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works

Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

As a traction material on snow-covered roads, Creating Artwork, High-temperature insulation, In gas barbecue grills

Creating Artwork

Types

Not Available

Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Surfaces are often shiny

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Scoria forms when magma containing huge amount of dissolved gas flows from a volcano during an eruption.

Tuff is formed when large masses of ash and sand which are mixed with hot gases are ejected by a volcano and avalanche rapidly down its slopes.

Composition

Mineral Content

Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica

Calcite, Chlorite

Compound Content

Ca, NaCl

Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-6

4-6

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

Not Available

243.80 N/mm²

Cleavage

Perfect

Not Available

Toughness

2.1

Not Available

Specific Gravity

Not Available

2.73

Transparency

Opaque

Density

Not Available

1-1.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

0.20 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania

Cameroon, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda

Europe

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Antarctica, Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA

South America

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Scoria and Tuff Properties

Know all about Scoria and Tuff properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Scoria and Tuff belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Scoria is Vesicular whereas that of Tuff is Clastic, Pyroclastic. Scoria appears Glassy and Vesicular and Tuff appears Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Scoria is subvitreous to dull while that of Tuff is vitreous to dull. Scoria is available in black, brown, dark grey to black, red colors whereas Tuff is available in brown, grey, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Scoria and Tuff are as a traction material on snow-covered roads, creating artwork, high-temperature insulation, in gas barbecue grills.