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Gneiss and Essexite 


Essexite  and Gneiss


Definition

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   
Essexite which is also known as nepheline monzogabbro, is a dark gray or black holocrystalline plutonic Iigneous Rock   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
USA   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)   
From the locality in Essex County, Massachusetts,US   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Banded, Foliated, Platy   
Granular   

Color
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White   
Dark Grey to Black   

Maintenance
More   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Foliated   
Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone   
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   

Types

Types
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.   
Not Available   

Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   
Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Essexite is a type of igneous rock, which is usually dark grey to black plutonic rock. For the formation of essexite, suitable magma with exact composition of K, Ba, Rb, Cs, Sr should be produced.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon   
Augite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Nepheline, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, Ba, Ca, Cs, Potassium, Rb, Sodium, Sr   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion   
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
7   

Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Irregular   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Very Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Dull   
Not Available   

Compressive Strength
125.00 N/mm2   
17
Not Available   

Cleavage
Poor   
Not Available   

Toughness
1.2   
1.6   

Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7   
Not Available   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6-2.9 g/cm3   
Not Available   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo   
South 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   
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

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

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

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria   
New Zealand, Queensland   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Gneiss and Essexite  Properties

Know all about Gneiss and Essexite  properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gneiss belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Essexite  belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Gneiss is Banded, Foliated, Platy whereas that of Essexite  is Granular. Gneiss appears Foliated and Essexite  appears Banded. The luster of Gneiss is dull while that of Essexite  is not available. Gneiss is available in black, brown, pink, red, white colors whereas Essexite  is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Gneiss are cemetery markers, jewelry, tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Essexite  are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.

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