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Skarn vs Epidosite


Epidosite 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  
Epidosite is a highly altered epidote and quartz bearing rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt  

History
  
  

Origin
USA, Australia  
-  

Discoverer
Tornebohm  
Unknown  

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

Class
Metamorphic Rocks  
Igneous Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
-  
Volcanic  

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

Texture

Texture
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough  
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular  

Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White  
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey  

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  
Dull and Soft  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration  
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration  

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

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, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone  

Medical Industry
-  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines  

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Endoskarns  
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite  

Features
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits  
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock  

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.  
Epidosite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite  
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene  

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
Yes  
Yes  

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

Weathering
No  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
-  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
No  
No  

Types of Erosion
-  
-  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6.5  
6  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
Fine to Coarse Grained  

Fracture
Irregular  
Conchoidal  

Streak
Light to dark brown  
White to Grey  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Waxy and Dull  
-  

Compressive Strength
70.00 N/mm2  
35
160.00 N/mm2  
21

Cleavage
Slaty  
-  

Toughness
2.4  
2.3  

Specific Gravity
2.86  
2.8-3  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3  
-9999 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K  
10
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15

Resistance
Heat Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
South Africa, Western Africa  
South Africa  

Europe
United Kingdom  
Iceland  

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  
-  

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Skarn vs Epidosite 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 Epidosite 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. Epidosite is a highly altered epidote and quartz bearing rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. 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 Epidosite information and Skarn vs Epidosite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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

More about Skarn and Epidosite

Here you can know more about Skarn and Epidosite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Skarn and Epidosite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite and mineral content of Epidosite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Skarn vs Epidosite, 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, Epidosite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Skarn is Dull and that of Epidosite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Skarn vs Epidosite. The hardness of Skarn is 6.5 and that of Epidosite is 6. The types of Skarn are Endoskarns whereas types of Epidosite are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite. 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 Epidosite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Epidosite 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 Epidosite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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