Home
Compare Rocks


What is Gossan?



Definition

Definition
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.

History

Origin
Indonesia

Discoverer
Cornish Gossen

Etymology
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit

Class
Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group
-

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

Texture

Texture
Rough, Sandy

Color
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust

Maintenance
Less

Durability
Durable

Water Resistant
Yes

Scratch Resistant
Yes

Stain Resistant
Yes

Wind Resistant
No

Acid Resistant
No

Appearance
Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry
-

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone

Types

Types
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan

Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates

Archaeological Significance

Monuments
-

Famous Monuments
-

Sculpture
-

Famous Sculptures
-

Pictographs
-

Petroglyphs
-

Figurines
-

Fossils
Absent

Formation

Formation
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
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur

Transformation

Metamorphism
No

Types of Metamorphism
-

Weathering
No

Types of Weathering
-

Erosion
Yes

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness
4-5

Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture
Conchoidal

Streak
White to Grey

Porosity
Highly Porous

Luster
Metallic

Compressive Strength
-

Cleavage
-

Toughness
-

Specific Gravity
2.0

Transparency
Opaque

Density
-9999 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity
0.24 kJ/Kg K 31

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

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

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

Europe
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom

Others
-

Deposits in Western Continents

North America
Canada, USA

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>
<< Reserves

Metamorphic Rocks

Learn more about Properties of Gossan

What is Gossan? In this section, we will learn more about properties of Gossan i.e. physical and thermal properties. Physical properties of Gossan include Color, Streak, Hardness, Structure, Cleavage, Fracture, Luster, Specific Gravity etc. The strength of Gossan is -. Streak of Gossan is white to grey while its cleavage is . Luster of Gossan is metallic and its fracture is conchoidal. Gossan is opaque in nature. Know all about Gossan, What is Gossan, its composition, features, facts and reserves in next sections.

Know about Composition of Gossan

What is Gossan composed of? Get to know about composition of Gossan here. Gossan definition gives information about the Formation of Gossan and its composition.The composition of Gossan can be further divided into mineral and compound content. The mineral content of Gossan rock includes Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon and The compound content of Gossan rock includes Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur. Almost all rocks undergo transformation process. Know all about Gossan rock in next section.

Compare Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

» More Metamorphic Rocks

Compare Metamorphic Rocks

» More Compare Metamorphic Rocks