Definition
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone
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
Origin
Pennines, England
Unknown
Discoverer
J.J. Ferber
Unknown
Etymology
From Grit + Stone
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Banded, Foliated, Platy
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered and Foliated
Foliated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Construction Aggregate, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Types
Not Available
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Gritstone is a type of sedimentary rock which was formed on the floors of wide river deltas where the grit deposits were laid down, with every tide or flood dumping another layer of sediment.
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
Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Toughness
Not Available
1.2
Specific Gravity
2.250
2.5-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.2 g/cm3
2.6-2.9 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria
All about Gritstone and Gneiss Properties
Know all about Gritstone and Gneiss properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gritstone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Gneiss belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Gritstone is Earthy whereas that of Gneiss is Banded, Foliated, Platy. Gritstone appears Layered and Foliated and Gneiss appears Foliated. The luster of Gritstone and Gneiss is dull. Gritstone and Gneiss are available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Gritstone are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones and that of Gneiss are cemetery markers, jewelry, tombstones, used in aquariums.