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
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers
Origin
USA, Australia
Unknown
Discoverer
Tornebohm
Unknown
Etymology
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Grey, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Powder
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, Making natural cement, raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium
Medical Industry
Not Applicable
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Alumina Refineries, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Paper Industry, Production of Lime, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, Soil Conditioner, Whiting, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Types
Endoskarns
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
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.
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Compound Content
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO
Ca, NaCl, CaO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Irregular
Not Available
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Dull
Cleavage
Slaty
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.3-2.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.49-2.50 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
South Africa, Western Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
United Kingdom
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Skarn vs Chalk 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 Chalk characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Skarn and Properties of Chalk. Learn more about Skarn vs Chalk in the next section. The interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Chalk include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Skarn and Chalk, 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 Chalk include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium.
More about Skarn and Chalk
Here you can know more about Skarn and Chalk. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Skarn and Chalk consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite and mineral content of Chalk includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Skarn vs Chalk, 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, Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Skarn is Dull and that of Chalk is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Skarn vs Chalk. The hardness of Skarn is 6.5 and that of Chalk is 1. The types of Skarn are Endoskarns whereas types of Chalk are Not Available. 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 Chalk is white. The specific heat capacity of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Chalk is 0.90 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 Chalk is heat resistant.
