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
Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Foliated, Platy
Amorphous, Glassy
Color
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Foliated
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
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Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
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Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
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Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
for Road Aggregate, Steel Production
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
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Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Electricity Generation
Types
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.
Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US
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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.
Coal formation takes place due to accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. The Coal formation process continues, as peat turns into lignite brown or black coal at increasing heat and pressure.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
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Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7
1.1-1.4
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-2.9 g/cm3
800-801 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, 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
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Gneiss vs Lignite 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 Lignite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gneiss and Properties of Lignite. Learn more about Gneiss vs Lignite in the next section. The interior uses of Gneiss include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Lignite include . Due to some exceptional properties of Gneiss and Lignite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Gneiss in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Lignite include For road aggregate, Steel production.
More about Gneiss and Lignite
Here you can know more about Gneiss and Lignite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gneiss and Lignite 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 Lignite includes . You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Gneiss vs Lignite, 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, Lignite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Gneiss is Foliated and that of Lignite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gneiss vs Lignite. The hardness of Gneiss is 7 and that of Lignite is 1. The types of Gneiss are Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss. whereas types of Lignite are Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite. 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 Lignite is black. The specific heat capacity of Gneiss is 0.70 kJ/Kg K and that of Lignite is 1.26 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 Lignite is heat resistant.