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Skarn vs Breccia


Breccia vs Skarn


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   
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material   

History
  
  

Origin
USA, Australia   
England   

Discoverer
Tornebohm   
Unknown   

Etymology
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.   
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough   
Brecciated, Clastic   

Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White   
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Dull   
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, 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   
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, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Applicable   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Endoskarns   
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia   

Features
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits   
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

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.   
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite   
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica   

Compound Content
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO   
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
No   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
No   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Chemical Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6.5   
7   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Medium to Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Irregular   
Uneven   

Streak
Light to dark brown   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Waxy and Dull   
Dull to Pearly   

Cleavage
Slaty   
Non-Existent   

Toughness
2.4   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.86   
2.86-2.87   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
0 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka   
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan   

Africa
South Africa, Western Africa   
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   

Europe
United Kingdom   
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada   
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia   
New South Wales, New Zealand   

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Skarn vs Breccia 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 Breccia 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. Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material. 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 Breccia information and Skarn vs Breccia characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Skarn vs Breccia 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 Breccia characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Skarn and Properties of Breccia. Learn more about Skarn vs Breccia in the next section. The interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Breccia include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Skarn and Breccia, 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 Breccia include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone.

More about Skarn and Breccia

Here you can know more about Skarn and Breccia. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Skarn and Breccia consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite and mineral content of Breccia includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Skarn vs Breccia, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Skarn is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas, Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Skarn is Dull and that of Breccia is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Skarn vs Breccia. The hardness of Skarn is 6.5 and that of Breccia is 7. The types of Skarn are Endoskarns whereas types of Breccia are Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia. 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 Breccia is white. The specific heat capacity of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Breccia is Not Available. 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 Breccia is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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