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
Icelandite belongs to volcanic igneous rocks which is rich in iron and belongs to andesite rock
History
Origin
-
Iceland
Discoverer
Unknown
Ian S. E. Carmichael
Etymology
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
From its origin place near Cenozoic volcano near the parsonage Þingmúli in East Iceland
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
-
Volcanic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Foliated, Platy
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Maintenance
More
More
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Foliated
Dull and Soft
Architecture
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.
Intermediate volcanic rock
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, 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
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.
Icelandite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Composition
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Silicon 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
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
77
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Irregular
Uneven
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Vitreous
Compressive Strength
125.00 N/mm2200.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
1.2
1.1
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.72.5-2.8
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-2.9 g/cm32.11-2.36 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.70 kJ/Kg K2.39 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea
Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, 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, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
Mexico, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia