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
Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat
Origin
USA, Australia
France
Discoverer
Tornebohm
Unknown
Etymology
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.
From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1
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
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough
Amorphous, Glassy
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Not Yet Used
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Not Yet Used
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
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
for Road Aggregate, Steel Production
Medical Industry
Not Applicable
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Electricity Generation
Types
Endoskarns
Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Generally rough to touch, Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet 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.
Coal formation takes place due to accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. The Coal formation process continues, as peat turns into lignite brown or black coal at increasing heat and pressure.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite
Not Available
Compound Content
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
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, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Streak
Light to dark brown
Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Cleavage
Slaty
Non-Existent
Toughness
2.4
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
1.1-1.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
800-801 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
South Africa, Western Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
United Kingdom
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Skarn vs Lignite 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 Lignite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Skarn and Properties of Lignite. Learn more about Skarn vs Lignite in the next section. The interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Lignite include Not yet used. Due to some exceptional properties of Skarn and Lignite, 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 Lignite include For road aggregate, Steel production.
More about Skarn and Lignite
Here you can know more about Skarn and Lignite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Skarn and Lignite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite and mineral content of Lignite is not available. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Skarn vs Lignite, 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, Lignite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Skarn is Dull and that of Lignite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Skarn vs Lignite. The hardness of Skarn is 6.5 and that of Lignite is 1. The types of Skarn are Endoskarns whereas types of Lignite are Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite. 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 Lignite is black. The specific heat capacity of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Lignite is 1.26 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 Lignite is heat resistant.