Skarn

Diorite

Skarn and Diorite

Skarn

Diorite

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Definition

Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin

Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene

History

Origin

USA, Australia

Discoverer

Tornebohm

Unknown

Etymology

From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.

From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough

Phaneritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull

Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Gold and Silver production, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Creating Artwork, Curling

Types

Endoskarns

Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite

Features

Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits

Typically speckled black and white.

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Skarn is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock which contains large interlocking and randomly oriented crystals and forms when molten lava does not reach the Earth’s surface and cools down in the Earth’s crust.

Composition

Mineral Content

Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite

Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon

Compound Content

Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.56-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Streak

Light to dark brown

Bluish Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Shiny

Compressive Strength

70.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.4

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.862.8-3

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.8-3 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka

Africa

South Africa, Western Africa

Egypt

Europe

United Kingdom

Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada

USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

All about Skarn and Diorite Properties

Know all about Skarn and Diorite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Skarn belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Diorite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough whereas that of Diorite is Phaneritic. Skarn appears Dull and Diorite appears Shiny. The luster of Skarn is waxy and dull while that of Diorite is shiny. Skarn is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Diorite are creating artwork, curling.