Definition
Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
Origin
Swiss Alps, Europe
USA
Discoverer
Michael Tellinger
Edgar Bailey
Etymology
From the Italian word cataclasi
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
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, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
Types
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Not Available
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
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.
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Streak
Black
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Cleavage
Not Available
Slaty
Toughness
Not Available
1.5
Specific Gravity
2.1
3-3.2
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Japan, Turkey
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
France, Greece, Iceland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Argentina, Colombia
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand