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
  
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
USA
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Edgar Bailey
  
Etymology
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
  
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Metamorphic 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, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Banded, Foliated, Platy
  
Foliated
  
Color
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
  
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
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
  
Dull and Banded
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
  
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Not Yet Used
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
  
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
  
Types
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.
  
Not Available
  
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
  
Data Not Available
  
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.
  
Blueschist forms due to the metamorphism of basalt and other rocks with similar composition at high pressures and low temperatures and approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 500 °C.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
  
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
  
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
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
7
  
3.5-4
  
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Fine to Medium Grained
  
Fracture
Irregular
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Very Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Dull
  
Compressive Strength
125.00 N/mm
2
  
17
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Poor
  
Slaty
  
Toughness
1.2
  
1.5
  
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7
  
3-3.2
  
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.6-2.9 g/cm3
  
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
  
Japan, Turkey
  
Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
  
Egypt, 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
  
France, Greece, Iceland
  
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
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
  
New Zealand
  
Gneiss vs Blueschist 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 Blueschist characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gneiss and Properties of Blueschist. Learn more about Gneiss vs Blueschist in the next section. The interior uses of Gneiss include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Blueschist include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Gneiss and Blueschist, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Gneiss in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Blueschist include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Gneiss and Blueschist
Here you can know more about Gneiss and Blueschist. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gneiss and Blueschist 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 Blueschist includes Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Gneiss vs Blueschist, 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, Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors. Appearance of Gneiss is Foliated and that of Blueschist is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gneiss vs Blueschist. The hardness of Gneiss is 7 and that of Blueschist is 3.5-4. The types of Gneiss are Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss. whereas types of Blueschist are Not Available. 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 Blueschist is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Gneiss is Not Available and that of Blueschist is Not Available. 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 Blueschist is impact resistant, pressure resistant.