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
Comendite is a hard, peralkaline igneous rock, a type of light blue grey rhyolite
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
Comendite derives its name from the area of Le Commende on San Pietro Island in Italy
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Foliated, Platy
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
Blue, Bluish - Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Foliated
Foliated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers
Types
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.
Rhyolite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Very fine grained rock, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US
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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.
Comendite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed due to cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It may form with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
Albite, Amphibole, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Al, Fe, Potassium Oxide
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Medium Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Pervasive
Streak
White
Bluish Black
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7
2.38
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-2.9 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
China
Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
East Africa
Europe
Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Italy
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
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South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
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Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
Queensland