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Gneiss
Gneiss

Dunite
Dunite



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Gneiss vs Dunite

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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
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

History

Origin

-
New Zealand

Discoverer

Unknown
Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Etymology

From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

Class

Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

-
Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Texture

Banded, Foliated, Platy
Phaneritic

Color

Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
Dark Greenish - Grey

Maintenance

More
Less

Durability

Durable
Durable

Water Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Foliated
Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing
Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

Medical Industry

-
-

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Types

Types

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

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

-
-

Famous Monuments

Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US
-

Sculpture

-
-

Famous Sculptures

-
-

Pictographs

-
-

Petroglyphs

-
-

Figurines

-
-

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.
Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Composition

Mineral Content

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

Types of Metamorphism

Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

73.5-4
1 7
👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular
Irregular

Streak

White
White

Porosity

Very Less Porous
Less Porous

Luster

Dull
Shiny

Compressive Strength

125.00 N/mm2107.55 N/mm2
0.15 450
👆🏻

Cleavage

-
-

Toughness

1.2
2.1

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.73-3.01
0 8.4
👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque
Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.6-2.9 g/cm32.84-2.85 g/cm3
0 1400
👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.70 kJ/Kg K1.25 kJ/Kg K
0.14 3.2
👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
Morocco, 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
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland

Others

-
-

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, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

Gneiss vs Dunite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Gneiss and Dunite Reserves. 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. Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Gneiss vs Dunite information and Gneiss vs Dunite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

Gneiss vs Dunite 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 Dunite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gneiss and Properties of Dunite. Learn more about Gneiss vs Dunite in the next section. The interior uses of Gneiss include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Dunite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Gneiss and Dunite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Gneiss in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Dunite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.

More about Gneiss and Dunite

Here you can know more about Gneiss and Dunite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gneiss and Dunite 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 Dunite includes Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Gneiss vs Dunite, 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, Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. Appearance of Gneiss is Foliated and that of Dunite is Rough and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gneiss vs Dunite. The hardness of Gneiss is 7 and that of Dunite is 3.5-4. The types of Gneiss are Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss. whereas types of Dunite are Dunite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Gneiss and Dunite is white. The specific heat capacity of Gneiss is 0.70 kJ/Kg K and that of Dunite is 1.25 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 Dunite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.