Skarn

Gossan

Skarn and Gossan

Skarn

Gossan

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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

Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.

History

Origin

USA, Australia

Indonesia

Discoverer

Tornebohm

Cornish Gossen

Etymology

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

From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough

Rough, Sandy

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull

Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

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

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, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone

Types

Endoskarns

Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan

Features

Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates

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.

Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon

Compound Content

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

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.54-5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Conchoidal

Streak

Light to dark brown

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Metallic

Compressive Strength

70.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.4

Specific Gravity

2.862.0

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.24 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea

Africa

South Africa, Western Africa

Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

United Kingdom

Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay

Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Skarn and Gossan Properties

Know all about Skarn and Gossan properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Skarn and Gossan belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough whereas that of Gossan is Rough, Sandy. Skarn appears Dull and Gossan appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Skarn is waxy and dull while that of Gossan is metallic. Skarn is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. The commercial uses of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone.