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Siltstone and Skarn


Skarn and Siltstone


Definition

Definition
Siltstone can be defined as a fine-grained sedimentary rock which mainly consists of consolidated silt  
Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin  

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown  
USA, Australia  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Tornebohm  

Etymology
From English word silt and stone and from Proto-Indo-European root sal and stainaz  
From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.  

Class
Sedimentary Rocks  
Metamorphic Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable  
Not Applicable  

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

Texture

Texture
Clastic  
Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough  

Color
Brown, Red, Reddish Brown  
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
No  
No  

Wind Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Acid Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Appearance
Rough  
Dull  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration  

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar  
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Gold and Silver production, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories  

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used  
Not Applicable  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Soil Conditioner  
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)  

Types

Types
Not Available  
Endoskarns  

Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Very fine grained rock  
Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used  
Used  

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable  
Data Not Available  

Sculpture
Used  
Used  

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available  
Data Not Available  

Pictographs
Not Used  
Not Used  

Petroglyphs
Not Used  
Not Used  

Figurines
Used  
Used  

Fossils
Present  
Absent  

Formation

Formation
Siltstone is a type of sedimentary rock which is formed from fine rock particles. As the particles of eroded rock travel along with water, the edges of the rock are worn-out by water into a rounded shape.   
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Skarn is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt  
Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite  

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide  
Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No  
Yes  

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism  

Weathering
Yes  
No  

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

Erosion
Yes  
No  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion  
Not Applicable  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7  
6.5  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
Fine Grained  

Fracture
Conchoidal  
Irregular  

Streak
White  
Light to dark brown  

Porosity
Highly Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Dull  
Waxy and Dull  

Cleavage
Not Available  
Slaty  

Toughness
2.6  
2.4  

Specific Gravity
2.54-2.73  
2.86  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.6-2.7 g/cm3  
2.8-2.9 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available  
0.92 kJ/Kg K  
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant  
Heat Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan  
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka  

Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa  
South Africa, Western Africa  

Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom  
United Kingdom  

Others
Greenland  
Not Yet Found  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA  
Canada  

South America
Brazil  
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand  
Central Australia, Western Australia  

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Siltstone and Skarn Properties

Know all about Siltstone and Skarn properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Siltstone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Skarn belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Siltstone is Clastic whereas that of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough. Siltstone appears Rough and Skarn appears Dull. The luster of Siltstone is dull while that of Skarn is waxy and dull. Siltstone is available in brown, red, reddish brown colors whereas Skarn is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Siltstone are raw material for the manufacture of mortar, soil conditioner and that of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo).

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