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Websterite and Gossan


Gossan and Websterite


Definition

Definition
Websterite is ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that consists of roughly equal proportions of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene. It is a special type of pyroxenite.   
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.   

History
  
  

Origin
Webster, North Carolina   
Indonesia   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Cornish Gossen   

Etymology
From the town of Webster located in North Carolina   
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   
Rough, Sandy   

Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey   
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Dull and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan   

Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Websterite can be formed as cumulates in ultramafic intrusions by accumulation of pyroxene crystals at the base of the lava chamber.   
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
No   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
4-5   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Fine to Medium Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
White to Grey   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   
Metallic   

Cleavage
Irregular   
Not Available   

Toughness
Not Available   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5   
2.0   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   
Not Available   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.24 kJ/Kg K   
24

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea   

Africa
South Africa   
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa   

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom   

Others
Greenland   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Websterite and Gossan Properties

Know all about Websterite and Gossan properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Websterite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Gossan belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Websterite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic whereas that of Gossan is Rough, Sandy. Websterite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Gossan appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Websterite is dull to vitreous to submetallic while that of Gossan is metallic. Websterite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. The commercial uses of Websterite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone.

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