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Skarn vs Gossan


Gossan 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  
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.  

History
  
  

Origin
USA, Australia  
Indonesia  

Discoverer
Tornebohm  
Cornish Gossen  

Etymology
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.  
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit  

Class
Metamorphic Rocks  
Metamorphic Rocks  

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

Family
  
  

Group
-  
-  

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

Texture

Texture
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough  
Rough, Sandy  

Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White  
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
No  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
Yes  
No  

Acid Resistant
Yes  
No  

Appearance
Dull  
Dull and Banded  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, 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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate  

Medical Industry
-  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture  
Artifacts  

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Endoskarns  
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan  

Features
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates  

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.  
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite  
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon  

Compound Content
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
No  

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

Weathering
No  
No  

Types of Weathering
-  
-  

Erosion
No  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
-  
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6.5  
4-5  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
Fine to Medium Grained  

Fracture
Irregular  
Conchoidal  

Streak
Light to dark brown  
White to Grey  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Highly Porous  

Luster
Waxy and Dull  
Metallic  

Compressive Strength
70.00 N/mm2  
35
-  

Cleavage
Slaty  
-  

Toughness
2.4  
-  

Specific Gravity
2.86  
2.0  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3  
-9999 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K  
10
0.24 kJ/Kg K  
31

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, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea  

Africa
South Africa, Western Africa  
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa  

Europe
United Kingdom  
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom  

Others
-  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada  
Canada, USA  

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay  
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

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Skarn vs Gossan 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 Gossan 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. Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.. 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 Gossan information and Skarn vs Gossan characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Skarn vs Gossan 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 Gossan characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Skarn and Properties of Gossan. Learn more about Skarn vs Gossan in the next section. The interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Skarn and Gossan, 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 Gossan include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Skarn and Gossan

Here you can know more about Skarn and Gossan. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Skarn and Gossan consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite and mineral content of Gossan includes Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Skarn vs Gossan, 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, Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. Appearance of Skarn is Dull and that of Gossan is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Skarn vs Gossan. The hardness of Skarn is 6.5 and that of Gossan is 4-5. The types of Skarn are Endoskarns whereas types of Gossan are Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan. 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 Gossan is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Gossan is 0.24 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 Gossan is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.

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