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Taconite and Rapakivi Granite


Rapakivi Granite and Taconite


Definition

Definition
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica   
Rapakivi Granite is a hornblende-biotite Granite containing large rounded crystals of orthoclase which are mantled with oligoclase   

History
  
  

Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota   
Finland, Europe   

Discoverer
Newton Horace Winchell   
Jakob Sederholm   

Etymology
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England   
From Finnish Rapakivi which stands for crumbly rock   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Plutonic   

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

Texture

Texture
Banded, Trellis   
Granular, Phaneritic   

Color
Red, Reddish Brown   
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White   

Maintenance
Less   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Veined or Pebbled   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads   

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

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   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Not Available   
Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite and Hybrid Granite   

Features
Is one of the oldest rock   
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest 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   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not 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.   
Granite is an igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz   
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, 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   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical 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   
6-7   

Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained   
Large and Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal   
Not Available   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Earthy   
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
175.00 N/mm2   
13

Cleavage
Imperfect   
Not Available   

Toughness
1.5   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
5-5.3   
2.6-2.7   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
2.6-2.8 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
3.20 kJ/Kg K   
1
0.79 kJ/Kg K   
16

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania   
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   

Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom   
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela   

Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, Mexico, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Bolivia, Brazil   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia   
Not Yet Found   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Taconite and Rapakivi Granite Properties

Know all about Taconite and Rapakivi Granite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Taconite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Rapakivi Granite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Taconite is Banded, Trellis whereas that of Rapakivi Granite is Granular, Phaneritic. Taconite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Rapakivi Granite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Taconite is earthy while that of Rapakivi Granite is dull to grainy with sporadic parts pearly and vitreous. Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas Rapakivi Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Taconite are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Rapakivi Granite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling, laboratory bench tops, tombstones.

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