Definition
Greenschist is a metamorphic rock that is formed under lowest temperatures and pressures and is usually produced by regional metamorphism
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
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 pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous 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, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Platy
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing 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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Blackboards, Manufacture of tools, Writing Slates
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Metamorphic rock
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
Mineral Content
Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Serpentine, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.9
3.2-3.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
India, Russia
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa
Europe
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand, Queensland
Greenschist vs Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Greenschist and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Greenschist vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Greenschist include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Greenschist and Pyroxenite, 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 Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Greenschist and Pyroxenite
Here you can know more about Greenschist and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Greenschist and Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Greenschist vs Pyroxenite, 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, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Greenschist is Layered and Shiny and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Greenschist vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Greenschist is 3.5-4 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Greenschist are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Greenschist is white while that of Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Greenschist is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Pyroxenite is 0.84 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 Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.