Gneiss

Kimberlite

Gneiss and Kimberlite

Gneiss

Kimberlite

Add ⊕

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

Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.

History

Origin

Kimberley, South Africa

Discoverer

Unknown

John W. Judd

Etymology

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

From Kimberley +‎ -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Foliated, Platy

Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Foliated

Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

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

Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

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.

Kimberlite is an igneous rock and is the main source of diamonds. Its formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface between 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, 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, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Impact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological 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

76-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fine to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

125.00 N/mm²260.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Conchoidal

Toughness

1.2

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.72.86-2.87

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.6-2.9 g/cm³2.95-2.96 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.70 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

Russia

Africa

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

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, 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

England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom

Others

Antarctica

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

Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria

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

All about Gneiss and Kimberlite Properties

Know all about Gneiss and Kimberlite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gneiss belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Kimberlite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Gneiss is Banded, Foliated, Platy whereas that of Kimberlite is Porphyritic. Gneiss appears Foliated and Kimberlite appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Gneiss is dull while that of Kimberlite is subvitreous to dull. Gneiss is available in black, brown, pink, red, white colors whereas Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Gneiss are cemetery markers, jewelry, tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Kimberlite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).