Definition
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
  
Tephrite is an aphanitic to porphyritic textured, volcanic igneous rock
  
History
  
  
Origin
USA
  
Germany
  
Discoverer
Edgar Bailey
  
Van Tooren
  
Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
  
From Greek tephra, ashes from Indo-European base, to burn
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Foliated
  
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
  
Color
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
  
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Dull and Banded
  
Vesicular
  
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, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
  
Landscaping
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
  
Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
  
Host Rock for Lead
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
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.
  
Tephrite 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.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
  
Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
3.5-4
  
6.5
  
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White to Grey
  
Bluish Black
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Very Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
Not Available
  
90.00 N/mm
2
  
22
Cleavage
Slaty
  
Crenulation and Pervasive
  
Toughness
1.5
  
2.4
  
Specific Gravity
3-3.2
  
2.86
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
  
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Japan, Turkey
  
Not Yet Found
  
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
  
Namibia, Uganda
  
Europe
France, Greece, Iceland
  
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
USA
  
South America
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand
  
New Zealand, Western Australia
  
Blueschist vs Tephrite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Blueschist vs Tephrite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Blueschist and Properties of Tephrite. Learn more about Blueschist vs Tephrite in the next section. The interior uses of Blueschist include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Tephrite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Blueschist and Tephrite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Blueschist in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Tephrite include Landscaping.
More about Blueschist and Tephrite
Here you can know more about Blueschist and Tephrite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Blueschist and Tephrite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Blueschist includes Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz and mineral content of Tephrite includes Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Blueschist vs Tephrite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors whereas, Tephrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Blueschist is Dull and Banded and that of Tephrite is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Blueschist vs Tephrite. The hardness of Blueschist is 3.5-4 and that of Tephrite is 6.5. The types of Blueschist are Not Available whereas types of Tephrite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Blueschist is white to grey while that of Tephrite is bluish black. The specific heat capacity of Blueschist is Not Available and that of Tephrite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Blueschist is impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Tephrite is heat resistant, impact resistant.