Definition
Blue Granite is an igneous rock and a variety of Larvikite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized blue crystals of feldspar
  
Sandstone is defined as a rock which is composed of sand-sized grains of various minerals mostly of uniform size and often are smooth and rounded
  
History
  
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From the color of rock, Blue
  
From its composition, sand and stone
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Phaneritic
  
Clastic, Granular, Rough
  
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
  
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Shiny
  
Rough
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
  
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums
  
Types
Not Available
  
Grey Sandstones, Crystallized Sandstones, Hard Sandstones , Carbonate Cemented Sandstones and Ganister
  
Features
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Abu Simbel in Egypt, Agia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Buland Darwaza in Agra, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Dom in Berlin, Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt, Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, India, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, India, India Gate in Delhi, India, Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, Khajuraho Temples, India, Leh Palace in Leh, India, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India, Luxor Temple in Egypt, Machu Picchu in Peru, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Petra in Jordan, Qutb Minar in India, Red Fort in Delhi, India, Sanchi Stupa in India
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, US
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Present
  
Formation
Blue Granite is an igneous rock which is a variety of Larvikite and is known mainly for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar.
  
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock which forms from cemented sand-sized clasts. It forms when sand layers are buried under sediments of sand.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
  
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, 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, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
6-7
  
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Coarse or Fine
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Dull
  
Compressive Strength
175.00 N/mm2
  
13
95.00 N/mm2
  
20
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Perfect
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
2.6
  
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
  
2.2-2.8
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.9-2.91 g/cm3
  
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K
  
16
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Not Yet Found
  
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan
  
Africa
Not Yet Found
  
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
  
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
Blue Granite vs Sandstone 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. Blue Granite vs Sandstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Blue Granite and Properties of Sandstone. Learn more about Blue Granite vs Sandstone in the next section. The interior uses of Blue Granite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Sandstone include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Blue Granite and Sandstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Blue Granite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Sandstone include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Production of glass and ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Blue Granite and Sandstone
Here you can know more about Blue Granite and Sandstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Blue Granite and Sandstone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Blue Granite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon and mineral content of Sandstone includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Blue Granite vs Sandstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Blue Granite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas, Sandstone is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Blue Granite is Shiny and that of Sandstone is Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Blue Granite vs Sandstone. Hardness of Blue Granite and Sandstone is 6-7. The types of Blue Granite are Not Available whereas types of Sandstone are Grey Sandstones, Crystallized Sandstones, Hard Sandstones , Carbonate Cemented Sandstones and Ganister. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Blue Granite and Sandstone is white. The specific heat capacity of Blue Granite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Sandstone is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Blue Granite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Sandstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.