Granulite

Gneiss

Granulite vs Gneiss

Granulite

Gneiss

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Definition

Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.

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

History

Origin

Central Europe

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Latin granulum, a little grain or fine grained

From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granoblastic

Banded, Foliated, Platy

Color

Black, Brown

Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Veined or Pebbled

Foliated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls

As Dimension Stone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Soil Conditioner, Tombstones

Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums

Types

Metamorphic rock

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

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch

Generally rough to touch, 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

Formation

Granulite is a fine-grained granular metamorphic rock in which the main component minerals are feldspars and quartz and forms at high temperature and pressure conditions.

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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Impact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-77

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Dull

Compressive Strength

175.00 N/mm²125.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.2

Specific Gravity

2.8-3.02.5-2.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

3.06-3.33 g/cm³2.6-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.14 kJ/Kg K0.70 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia

Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa

Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo

Europe

Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic

Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria

Granulite vs Gneiss 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 Granulite and Gneiss Reserves. Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.. 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. 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 Granulite vs Gneiss information and Granulite vs Gneiss characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Granulite vs Gneiss 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. Granulite vs Gneiss characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Granulite and Properties of Gneiss. Learn more about Granulite vs Gneiss in the next section. The interior uses of Granulite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Gneiss include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Granulite and Gneiss, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Granulite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls and that of Gneiss include As dimension stone.

More about Granulite and Gneiss

Here you can know more about Granulite and Gneiss. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Granulite and Gneiss consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Granulite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz and mineral content of Gneiss includes Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Granulite vs Gneiss, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Granulite is available in black, brown colors whereas, Gneiss is available in black, brown, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Granulite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Gneiss is Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Granulite vs Gneiss. The hardness of Granulite is 6-7 and that of Gneiss is 7. The types of Granulite are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Gneiss are Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Granulite and Gneiss is white. The specific heat capacity of Granulite is 0.14 kJ/Kg K and that of Gneiss is 0.70 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Granulite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Gneiss is heat resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant.