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Gneiss and Shale


Shale 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   
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles   

History
  
  

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)   
From German Schalstein laminated limestone, and Schalgebirge layer of stone in stratified rock. From Old English scealu in its base sense of- thing that divides or separate,   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Banded, Foliated, Platy   
Clastic, Splintery   

Color
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White   
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow   

Maintenance
More   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Foliated   
Muddy   

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, Office Buildings   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone   
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums   
Creating Artwork, Pottery   

Types

Types
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.   
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale   

Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US   
Jantar Mantar in India   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

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.   
Shale forms when very fine-grained clay particles are deposited in water which settle at the bottom of water bodies. They are later compacted hence forming shale.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon   
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides   

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

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

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
3   

Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained   
Very fine-grained   

Fracture
Irregular   
Not Available   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Very Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Dull   
Dull   

Compressive Strength
125.00 N/mm2   
17
95.00 N/mm2   
20

Cleavage
Poor   
Slaty   

Toughness
1.2   
2.6   

Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7   
2.2-2.8   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6-2.9 g/cm3   
2.4-2.8 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.39 kJ/Kg K   
23

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   
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia   

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

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

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

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, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Gneiss and Shale Properties

Know all about Gneiss and Shale properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gneiss belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Shale belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Gneiss is Banded, Foliated, Platy whereas that of Shale is Clastic, Splintery. Gneiss appears Foliated and Shale appears Muddy. The luster of Gneiss and Shale is dull. Gneiss is available in black, brown, pink, red, white colors whereas Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Gneiss are cemetery markers, jewelry, tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Shale are creating artwork, pottery.

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