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Skarn
Skarn

Amphibolite
Amphibolite



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Skarn vs Amphibolite

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Definition

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
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase

History

Origin

USA, Australia
-

Discoverer

Tornebohm
Alexandre Brongniart

Etymology

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

Class

Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

-
-

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Texture

Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough
Banded, Foliated, Massive

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less
Less

Durability

Durable
Durable

Water Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Dull
Foliated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing
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, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone

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)
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Types

Endoskarns
Hornblendite

Features

Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

-
-

Famous Monuments

-
-

Sculpture

-
-

Famous Sculptures

-
-

Pictographs

-
-

Petroglyphs

-
-

Figurines

-
-

Fossils

Absent
Absent

Formation

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.
Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.

Composition

Mineral Content

Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite

Compound Content

Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

Types of Weathering

-
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Types of Erosion

-
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.56-7
1 7
👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular
Irregular to Conchoidal

Streak

Light to dark brown
White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous
Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull
Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

70.00 N/mm290.00 N/mm2
0.15 450
👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty
-

Toughness

2.4
2.3

Specific Gravity

2.862.5
0 8.4
👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque
Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm32.85-3.07 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
Russia, Turkey

Africa

South Africa, Western Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe

United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland

Others

-
-

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada
Canada, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay
Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia
South Australia, Western Australia

Skarn vs Amphibolite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Skarn and Amphibolite Reserves. Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin. Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Skarn vs Amphibolite information and Skarn vs Amphibolite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

Skarn vs Amphibolite 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. Skarn vs Amphibolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Skarn and Properties of Amphibolite. Learn more about Skarn vs Amphibolite in the next section. The interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Amphibolite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Skarn and Amphibolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Skarn in construction industry include 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 and that of Amphibolite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Production of glass and ceramics, Roadstone.

More about Skarn and Amphibolite

Here you can know more about Skarn and Amphibolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Skarn and Amphibolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite and mineral content of Amphibolite includes Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Skarn vs Amphibolite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Skarn is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas, Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. Appearance of Skarn is Dull and that of Amphibolite is Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Skarn vs Amphibolite. The hardness of Skarn is 6.5 and that of Amphibolite is 6-7. The types of Skarn are Endoskarns whereas types of Amphibolite are Hornblendite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Skarn is light to dark brown while that of Amphibolite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Amphibolite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Skarn is heat resistant whereas Amphibolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.