Skarn

Pegmatite

Skarn and Pegmatite

Skarn

Pegmatite

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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

Pegmatite rock is a holocrystalline, intrusive igneous rock which is composed of interlocking phaneritic crystals

History

Origin

USA, Australia

Discoverer

Tornebohm

R. J. Hauy

Etymology

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

From Greek pegma, pegmat which means- thing joined together + -ite

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough

Pegmatitic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Black, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone

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, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz

Types

Endoskarns

Granite Pegmatite, Gabbro Pegmatite and Diorite Pegmatite

Features

Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz

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.

Pegmatite rock is holocrystalline, intrusive igneous rock which is formed by partial melting and dewatering during the process of metamorphism.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Apatite, Beryl, Feldspar, Fluorite, Garnet, Lepidolite, Quartz, Silica, Spodumene, Topaz

Compound Content

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

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, Phosphorus Pentoxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

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

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.57

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Conchoidal

Streak

Light to dark brown

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous

Compressive Strength

70.00 N/mm²178.54 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Perfect

Toughness

2.4

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.862.6-2.63

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.6-2.65 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.79 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, Iran, Japan, Nepal, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea

Africa

South Africa, Western Africa

South Africa

Europe

United Kingdom

Austria, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Skarn and Pegmatite Properties

Know all about Skarn and Pegmatite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Skarn belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Pegmatite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough whereas that of Pegmatite is Pegmatitic. Skarn appears Dull and Pegmatite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Skarn is waxy and dull while that of Pegmatite is grainy, pearly and vitreous. Skarn is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas Pegmatite is available in black, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, rust, silver, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Pegmatite are creating artwork, jewelry, source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz.