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
  
Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
Egypt
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Georgius Agricola
  
Etymology
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
  
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Banded, Foliated, Platy
  
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
  
Color
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
  
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
  
Maintenance
More
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Foliated
  
Dull and Soft
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
  
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing, Whetstones
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
  
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
  
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums
  
Types
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.
  
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
  
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US
  
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, 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
  
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.
  
Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
  
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, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
  
Contact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion
  
Not Available
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
7
  
6
  
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Irregular
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Very Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Not Available
  
Compressive Strength
125.00 N/mm2
  
17
37.40 N/mm2
  
28
Cleavage
Poor
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
1.2
  
2.3
  
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7
  
2.8-3
  
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.6-2.9 g/cm3
  
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.84 kJ/Kg K
  
15
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
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
  
Iceland
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
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
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
  
Not Yet Found
  
Gneiss vs Basalt Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Gneiss vs Basalt characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gneiss and Properties of Basalt. Learn more about Gneiss vs Basalt in the next section. The interior uses of Gneiss include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Basalt include Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Gneiss and Basalt, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Gneiss in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Basalt include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Cutting tool, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Gneiss and Basalt
Here you can know more about Gneiss and Basalt. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gneiss and Basalt consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Gneiss includes Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon and mineral content of Basalt includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Gneiss vs Basalt, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Gneiss is available in black, brown, pink, red, white colors whereas, Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Gneiss is Foliated and that of Basalt is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gneiss vs Basalt. The hardness of Gneiss is 7 and that of Basalt is 6. The types of Gneiss are Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss. whereas types of Basalt are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Gneiss is white while that of Basalt is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Gneiss is Not Available and that of Basalt is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Gneiss is heat resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant whereas Basalt is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.