Definition
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
Jadeitite is a metamorphic rock usually found in blueschist grade metamorphic terrains
Discoverer
Edgar Bailey
Unknown
Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
From pyroxene mineral jadeite
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cutting Tool, Knives
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Jewelry
Types
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Jadeitite is formed 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
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
-
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
3-3.2
2.79-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Japan, Turkey
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
France, Greece, Iceland
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
All about Blueschist and Jadeitite Properties
Know all about Blueschist and Jadeitite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Blueschist and Jadeitite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Blueschist is Foliated whereas that of Jadeitite is Earthy. Blueschist appears Dull and Banded and Jadeitite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Blueschist is dull while that of Jadeitite is waxy and dull. Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors whereas Jadeitite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Blueschist are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling, tombstones and that of Jadeitite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork, jewelry.