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Taconite and Blueschist


Blueschist and Taconite


Definition

Definition
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica   
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature   

History
  
  

Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota   
USA   

Discoverer
Newton Horace Winchell   
Edgar Bailey   

Etymology
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England   
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Banded, Trellis   
Foliated   

Color
Red, Reddish Brown   
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Dull and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Not Yet Used   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.   
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Is one of the oldest rock   
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Present   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.   
Blueschist forms due to the metamorphism of basalt and other rocks with similar composition at high pressures and low temperatures and approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 500 °C.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz   
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz   

Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
3.5-4   

Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained   
Fine to Medium Grained   

Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
White to Grey   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Earthy   
Dull   

Cleavage
Imperfect   
Slaty   

Toughness
1.5   
1.5   

Specific Gravity
5-5.3   
3-3.2   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
3.20 kJ/Kg K   
1
Not Available   

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam   
Japan, Turkey   

Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania   
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa   

Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom   
France, Greece, Iceland   

Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, Mexico, USA   
USA   

South America
Bolivia, Brazil   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia   
New Zealand   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Taconite and Blueschist Properties

Know all about Taconite and Blueschist properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Taconite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Blueschist belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Taconite is Banded, Trellis whereas that of Blueschist is Foliated. Taconite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Blueschist appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Taconite is earthy while that of Blueschist is dull. Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors. The commercial uses of Taconite are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Blueschist are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling, tombstones.

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