Definition
Siltstone can be defined as a fine-grained sedimentary rock which mainly consists of consolidated silt
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 English word silt and stone and from Proto-Indo-European root sal and stainaz
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Rough, Sandy
Color
Brown, Red, Reddish Brown
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Soil Conditioner
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
Types
Siltstone
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Very fine grained rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Siltstone is a type of sedimentary rock which is formed from fine rock particles. As the particles of eroded rock travel along with water, the edges of the rock are worn-out by water into a rounded shape.
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
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.54-2.73
2.0
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-2.7 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
Siltstone 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. Siltstone vs Gossan characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Siltstone and Properties of Gossan. Learn more about Siltstone vs Gossan in the next section. The interior uses of Siltstone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Siltstone and Gossan, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Siltstone in construction industry include Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Gossan include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Siltstone and Gossan
Here you can know more about Siltstone and Gossan. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Siltstone and Gossan consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Siltstone includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt 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 Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Siltstone vs Gossan, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Siltstone is available in brown, red, reddish brown colors whereas, Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. Appearance of Siltstone is Rough and that of Gossan is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Siltstone vs Gossan. The hardness of Siltstone is 6-7 and that of Gossan is 4-5. The types of Siltstone are Siltstone 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 Siltstone is white while that of Gossan is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Siltstone is 0.84 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.Siltstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Gossan is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.