Definition
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone
Discoverer
Edgar Bailey
Unknown
Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
From Pelos or clay in Greek
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
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated
Foliated
Color
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Banded
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
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
Not Available
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest 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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite 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
Albite, Chlorite, 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, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Fibrous
Streak
White to Grey
Unknown
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Cleavage
Slaty
Not Available
Toughness
1.5
Not Available
Specific Gravity
3-3.2
3.4-3.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
0-300 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Japan, Turkey
Not Yet Found
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
France, Greece, Iceland
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Not Available
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Blueschist and Metapelite Properties
Know all about Blueschist and Metapelite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Blueschist and Metapelite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Blueschist is Foliated whereas that of Metapelite is Foliated. Blueschist appears Dull and Banded and Metapelite appears Banded. The luster of Blueschist is dull while that of Metapelite is earthy. Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors whereas Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Blueschist and Metapelite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling, tombstones.