Calc-silicate

Calc-silicate

Calc-silicate refers to rocks that are primarily composed of calcium-rich silicate minerals, such as diopside, anorthite, grossular-andradite garnet, and wollastonite, but may also contain some calcite, quartz, and other non-calc-silicate minerals. These rocks are also known as skarn and are often associated with significant base metal deposits. The Ettlewood Calc-Silicate Member and the Bimba Formation are examples of calc-silicate rocks that may or may not contain calcite.From: A Pictorial Guide to Metamorphic Rocks in the Field [2019], Sedimentology in metamorphic rocks, the Willyama Supergroup, Broken Hill, Australia [2018]

Metamorphic Rocks

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Published in F.G.H. Blyth, M. H. de Freitas, A Geology for Engineers, 2017

F.G.H. Blyth, M. H. de Freitas

(iv) When clay is present as well as silica in the original rock, minerals such as tremolite and diopside (Ca-Mg-silicates) and CaAl-garnets are formed by the metamorphism, in addition to calcite, and the resulting rock is a calc-silicate-hornfels. Its mineral composition varies according to the amounts of different substances in the original limestone; the textures of these rocks tend to be coarse because of the fluxing action of dissociated MgCO3, and the rock is often very hard.

Sedimentology in metamorphic rocks, the Willyama Supergroup, Broken Hill, Australia

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Journal Information

Published in Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 2018

B. P. J. Stevens, G. M. Bradley

One important correlation is between the Ettlewood Calc-Silicate Member and the Bimba Formation (Figure 28), both essentially calc-silicate rocks with or without calcite, and both containing significant base metals. The Bimba Formation is overlain by the very thin, psammitic Plumbago Formation containing 1693±3 Ma volcanic zircons (Page et al., 2005b). A very similar thin psammite overlying the Ettlewood Calc-Silicate Member contains zircons of the same age and character (Page et al., 2005b).

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Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentology in metamorphic rocks, the Willyama Supergroup, Broken Hill, Australia