Definition
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica
Origin
France
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Unknown
Newton Horace Winchell
Etymology
From Latin varius, speckled, variegated
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Banded, Trellis
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Metamorphic rock
Iron formation
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.
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.
Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
-
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
5-5.3
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
South Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Iceland
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
-
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Variolite vs Taconite 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. Variolite vs Taconite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Variolite and Properties of Taconite. Learn more about Variolite vs Taconite in the next section. The interior uses of Variolite include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Taconite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Variolite and Taconite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Variolite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Taconite include As dimension stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Variolite and Taconite
Here you can know more about Variolite and Taconite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Variolite and Taconite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Variolite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Taconite includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Variolite vs Taconite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas, Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Variolite is Dull and Soft and that of Taconite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Variolite vs Taconite. The hardness of Variolite is 6 and that of Taconite is 5.5-6. The types of Variolite are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Taconite are Iron formation. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Variolite is white to grey while that of Taconite is white. The specific heat capacity of Variolite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Taconite is 3.20 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Variolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Taconite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.