Blueschist

Litchfieldite

Blueschist and Litchfieldite

Blueschist

Litchfieldite

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature

Litchfieldite is a rare igneous rock which is coarse-grained, foliated and a variety of nepheline syenite, sometimes also called as nepheline syenite gneiss or gneissic nepeheline syenite

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

USA

1.2.2 Discoverer

Edgar Bailey

Bayley

1.3 Etymology

From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split

From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA

1.4 Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Not Applicable

Plutonic

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Foliated

Granular

2.2 Color

Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Dull and Banded

Banded and Foilated

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Not Yet Used

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones

Creating Artwork

4 Types

4.1 Types

Not Available

Borolanite and Litchfieldite

4.2 Features

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

4.3.5 Pictographs

Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Litchfieldite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

5.2.2 Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

3.5-45.5-6

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Fine to Medium Grained

Coarse Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

Conchoidal to Uneven

6.1.4 Streak

White to Grey

White

6.1.5 Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Dull

Greasy to Dull

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

NA150.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Slaty

Poor

6.1.9 Toughness

1.5

Not Available

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

3-3.22.6

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

NANA

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

Japan, Turkey

Not Yet Found

7.1.2 Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa

South Africa

7.1.3 Europe

France, Greece, Iceland

Finland, Norway, Portugal

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

USA

Canada

7.2.2 South America

Not Yet Found

Brazil

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

New Zealand

Not Yet Found

All about Blueschist and Litchfieldite Properties

Know all about Blueschist and Litchfieldite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Blueschist belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Litchfieldite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Blueschist is Foliated whereas that of Litchfieldite is Granular. Blueschist appears Dull and Banded and Litchfieldite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Blueschist is dull while that of Litchfieldite is greasy to dull. Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors whereas Litchfieldite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Blueschist and Litchfieldite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling, tombstones.