Definition
Greenschist is a metamorphic rock that is formed under lowest temperatures and pressures and is usually produced by regional metamorphism
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
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From minerals such as chlorite, serpentine, and epidote, and platy minerals such as muscovite and platy serpentine which are green in color
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Platy
Banded, Foliated, Platy
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered and Shiny
Foliated
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Blackboards, Manufacture of tools, Writing Slates
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Types
Metamorphic rock
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
-
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US
Formation
Greenschist is medium grade metamorphic rock, formed by the metamorphosis of mudstone or shale, or some types of igneous rock, when it is subjected to higher temperatures and pressures.
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.
Mineral Content
Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Serpentine, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.9
2.5-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.6-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
Europe
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
Greenschist 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. Greenschist vs Gneiss characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Greenschist and Properties of Gneiss. Learn more about Greenschist vs Gneiss in the next section. The interior uses of Greenschist include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Gneiss include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Greenschist and Gneiss, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Greenschist in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Gneiss include As dimension stone.
More about Greenschist and Gneiss
Here you can know more about Greenschist and Gneiss. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Greenschist and Gneiss consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Greenschist includes Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Serpentine, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc 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 Greenschist vs Gneiss, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Greenschist is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors whereas, Gneiss is available in black, brown, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Greenschist is Layered and Shiny and that of Gneiss is Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Greenschist vs Gneiss. The hardness of Greenschist is 3.5-4 and that of Gneiss is 7. The types of Greenschist 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 Greenschist and Gneiss is white. The specific heat capacity of Greenschist is 0.84 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.Greenschist is impact resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Gneiss is heat resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant.