Blueschist and Trachyte

Blueschist

Trachyte

Definition

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

Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar

History

Origin

USA

Unknown

Discoverer

Edgar Bailey

Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy

Etymology

From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split

From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Color

Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue

Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Dull and Banded

Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Not Yet Used

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Not Available

Features

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

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

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.

Trachyte is an igneous volcanic rock with an aphanitic to porphyritic texture. It is the volcanic equivalent of syenite rock and forms as a result of magmatic differentiation.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz

Compound Content

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

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-4

Grain Size

Fine to Medium Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Not Available

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Metallic

Compressive Strength

Not Available

150.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Slaty

Not Available

Toughness

1.5

Not Available

Specific Gravity

3-3.2

2.7

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

2.43-2.45 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Japan, Turkey

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

France, Greece, Iceland

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Not Yet Found

Brazil, Chile

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Blueschist and Trachyte Properties

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