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
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
Origin
USA, Australia
Egypt
Discoverer
Tornebohm
Alois Wehrle
Etymology
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough
Banded
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, 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
Curbing
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
Medical Industry
Not Applicable
NA
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Endoskarns
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
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.
Wehrlite 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.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite
Pyroxene
Compound Content
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Irregular
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Metallic
Specific Gravity
2.86
8.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
South Africa, Western Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Skarn vs Wehrlite 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 Wehrlite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Skarn and Properties of Wehrlite. Learn more about Skarn vs Wehrlite in the next section. The interior uses of Skarn include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Wehrlite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Skarn and Wehrlite, 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 Wehrlite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones.
More about Skarn and Wehrlite
Here you can know more about Skarn and Wehrlite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Skarn and Wehrlite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Skarn includes Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite and mineral content of Wehrlite includes Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Skarn vs Wehrlite, 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, Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. Appearance of Skarn is Dull and that of Wehrlite is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Skarn vs Wehrlite. The hardness of Skarn is 6.5 and that of Wehrlite is 5.5-6. The types of Skarn are Endoskarns whereas types of Wehrlite are Not Available. 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 Wehrlite is white. The specific heat capacity of Skarn is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Wehrlite is 0.63 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 Wehrlite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.