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
A yellow sandstone which is flexible when cut into thin strips
History
Origin
-
-
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
From the name of a mountain range where it was found; Itacolumi mountain in Brazil
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
-
-
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Foliated, Platy
Clastic, Granular, Rough
Color
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
Beige, Black, Brown, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Maintenance
More
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Foliated
Rough
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
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Types
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.
Sandstone
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US
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Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Present
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.
Itacolumite is a sedimentary rock which forms from cemented sand-sized clasts and is a type of sandstone.
Composition
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, 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, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
76-7
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Coarse or Fine
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull
Compressive Strength
125.00 N/mm295.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
Perfect
Toughness
1.2
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.72.2-2.8
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-2.9 g/cm32.2-2.8 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.70 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
Namibia, Nigeria, 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
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
-
Greenland
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
New South Wales, New Zealand