Definition
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix
Origin
USA
Swiss Alps, Europe
Discoverer
Edgar Bailey
Michael Tellinger
Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
From the Italian word cataclasi
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
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.
Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Fine Grained
Streak
White to Grey
Black
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Slaty
Not Available
Toughness
1.5
Not Available
Specific Gravity
3-3.2
2.1
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Japan, Turkey
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Europe
France, Greece, Iceland
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Argentina, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand
Central Australia, Western Australia