Definition
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica
  
Shoshonite is a basaltic rock, properly a potassic trachyandesite, composed of olivine, augite and plagioclase phenocrysts in a groundmass with calcic plagioclase and sanidine and some dark-colored volcanic glass
  
History
  
  
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
  
Wyoming,USA
  
Discoverer
Newton Horace Winchell
  
Iddings
  
Etymology
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England
  
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Banded, Trellis
  
Porphyritic
  
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
  
Brown- Black, Dark Brown
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Dull
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
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
  
Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
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
  
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
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Shoshonite 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.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
  
Pyroxene
  
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, 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, Glacier Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5.5-6
  
6
  
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Earthy
  
Dull
  
Cleavage
Imperfect
  
Poor
  
Toughness
1.5
  
1.6
  
Specific Gravity
5-5.3
  
2.98
  
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
Not Available
  
2.9-3 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
3.20 kJ/Kg K
  
1
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
  
India, Russia
  
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
South Africa
  
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
  
Iceland
  
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
  
Not Yet Found