Definition
An iron rich extrusive rock found as a member of the alkali basalt magma series
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
Origin
Isle of Mull, Scotland
USA
Discoverer
Ben More
Edgar Bailey
Etymology
From the name of discoverer, Ben More
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular
Foliated
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt
Metamorphic rock
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Benmoreite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Blueschist forms due to the metamorphism of basalt and other rocks with similar composition at high pressures and low temperatures and approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 500 °C.
Mineral Content
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
Black
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
3-3.2
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Japan, Turkey
Africa
South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Iceland
France, Greece, Iceland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Benmoreite vs Blueschist Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Benmoreite vs Blueschist characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Benmoreite and Properties of Blueschist. Learn more about Benmoreite vs Blueschist in the next section. The interior uses of Benmoreite include Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Blueschist include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Benmoreite and Blueschist, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Benmoreite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Blueschist include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Benmoreite and Blueschist
Here you can know more about Benmoreite and Blueschist. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Benmoreite and Blueschist consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Benmoreite includes Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase and mineral content of Blueschist includes Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Benmoreite vs Blueschist, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Benmoreite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas, Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors. Appearance of Benmoreite is Rough and Dull and that of Blueschist is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Benmoreite vs Blueschist. The hardness of Benmoreite is 6 and that of Blueschist is 3.5-4. The types of Benmoreite are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt whereas types of Blueschist are Metamorphic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Benmoreite is black while that of Blueschist is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Benmoreite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Blueschist is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Benmoreite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Blueschist is impact resistant, pressure resistant.