Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
History
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Johann Gottlob Lehmann
Etymology
From its formation process
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
-
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Maintenance
Less
Durability
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
58% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
61% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
42% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
36% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
19% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
Famous Monuments
-
Sculpture
-
Famous Sculptures
-
Pictographs
-
Petroglyphs
-
Figurines
-
Fossils
Present
Formation
The banded iron layers are formed in sea water when oxygen is released by photosynthetic cyano-bacteria. The oxygen then combines with dissolved iron in ocean to form insoluble iron oxides, which precipitated out, forming a thin layer of banded iron formation on ocean floor.
Composition
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
17% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Types of Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
78% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
86% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
5.5-6
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Luster
Earthy
Compressive Strength
220.00 N/mm2
Rank: 9 (Overall)
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
Toughness
1.5
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
3.20 kJ/Kg K
Rank: 1 (Overall)
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia