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Skarn vs Tuff


Tuff 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   
Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption   

History
  
  

Origin
USA, Australia   
Italy   

Discoverer
Tornebohm   
Unknown   

Etymology
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.   
From a Latin word tophous then in Italian tufo and finally tuff   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Volcanic   

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

Texture

Texture
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough   
Clastic, Pyroclastic   

Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White   
Brown, Grey, Yellow   

Maintenance
Less   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Dull   
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
As Building 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   
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Applicable   
Not Yet Used   

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

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Endoskarns   
Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.   

Features
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits   
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

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.   
Tuff is formed when large masses of ash and sand which are mixed with hot gases are ejected by a volcano and avalanche rapidly down its slopes.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite   
Calcite, Chlorite   

Compound Content
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO   
Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
No   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
No   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6.5   
4-6   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Irregular   
Uneven   

Streak
Light to dark brown   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Waxy and Dull   
Vitreous to Dull   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
243.80 N/mm2   
5

Cleavage
Slaty   
Not Available   

Toughness
2.4   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.86   
2.73   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
1-1.8 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10
0.20 kJ/Kg K   
25

Resistance
Heat Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka   
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen   

Africa
South Africa, Western Africa   
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda   

Europe
United Kingdom   
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada   
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay   
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

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Skarn vs Tuff 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 Tuff 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. Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. 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 Tuff information and Skarn vs Tuff characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Skarn vs Tuff 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 Tuff characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Skarn and Properties of Tuff. Learn more about Skarn vs Tuff in the next section. The interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Tuff include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Skarn and Tuff, 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 Tuff include Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate.

More about Skarn and Tuff

Here you can know more about Skarn and Tuff. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Skarn and Tuff consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite and mineral content of Tuff includes Calcite, Chlorite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Skarn vs Tuff, 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, Tuff is available in brown, grey, yellow colors. Appearance of Skarn is Dull and that of Tuff is Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Skarn vs Tuff. The hardness of Skarn is 6.5 and that of Tuff is 4-6. The types of Skarn are Endoskarns whereas types of Tuff are Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.. 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 Tuff is white. The specific heat capacity of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Tuff is 0.20 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 Tuff is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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