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Taconite and Mudstone


Mudstone and Taconite


Definition

Definition
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica   
Mudstone is a fine-grained, dark gray sedimentary rock, which is formed from silt and clay and is similar to shale but has less laminations   

History
  
  

Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Newton Horace Winchell   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England   
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Banded, Trellis   
Clastic   

Color
Red, Reddish Brown   
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Rough and Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Roof Tiles   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.   
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   
Creating Artwork, Pottery   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Marl, Shale and Argillite   

Features
Is one of the oldest rock   
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Present   
Present   

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.   
Mudstone forms when very fine-grained clay particles are deposited in water which settle at the bottom of water bodies. They are buried and compacted by overlying sediment hence forming mudstone.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz   
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz   

Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
2-3   

Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained   
Very fine-grained   

Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal   
Not Available   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Earthy   
Dull   

Cleavage
Imperfect   
Perfect   

Toughness
1.5   
2.6   

Specific Gravity
5-5.3   
2.2-2.8   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
2.4-2.8 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
3.20 kJ/Kg K   
1
0.39 kJ/Kg K   
23

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

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

Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom   
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland   

Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, Mexico, USA   
USA   

South America
Bolivia, Brazil   
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Taconite and Mudstone Properties

Know all about Taconite and Mudstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Taconite and Mudstone belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Taconite is Banded, Trellis whereas that of Mudstone is Clastic. Taconite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Mudstone appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Taconite is earthy while that of Mudstone is dull. Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas Mudstone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Taconite are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Mudstone are creating artwork, pottery.

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