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
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
History
Origin
USA, Australia
-
Discoverer
Tornebohm
William Smith
Etymology
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
-
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Dull
Rounded and Rough
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
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
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Types
Endoskarns
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Present
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.
Oolites form when layers of calcite are deposited around a sand grain or fossil piece and are rolled around in calm water, which makes them round.
Composition
Mineral Content
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
6.53-4
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Pearly to Shiny
Compressive Strength
70.00 N/mm240.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Slaty
-
Toughness
2.4
1
Specific Gravity
2.86-9999
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3-9999 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K0.65 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear 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
United Kingdom
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula