Gneiss

Basanite

Gneiss and Basanite

Gneiss

Basanite

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Definition

Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks

Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)

From Latin basanites + -ite

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Foliated, Platy

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Foliated

Glassy or Pearly

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums

As a touchstone, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms

Types

Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.

Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Gneiss is a high grade metamorphic rock i.e. it has been subjected to higher temperatures and pressures than schist. It is formed by the metamorphosis of Gneiss forms from volcanic rock, shale or granitie.

Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.

Composition

Mineral Content

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon

Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase

Compound Content

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

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Impact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion

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

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

125.00 N/mm²100.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.2

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.72.5-2.8

0 8.4

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Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.6-2.9 g/cm³2.7 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.70 kJ/Kg K0.74 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia

Africa

Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo

Uganda

Europe

Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Gneiss and Basanite Properties

Know all about Gneiss and Basanite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gneiss belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Basanite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Gneiss is Banded, Foliated, Platy whereas that of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Gneiss appears Foliated and Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Gneiss is dull while that of Basanite is waxy and dull. Gneiss is available in black, brown, pink, red, white colors whereas Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Gneiss are cemetery markers, jewelry, tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Basanite are as a touchstone, creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.