Definition
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone
Origin
Unknown
Pennines, England
Discoverer
Unknown
J.J. Ferber
Etymology
From Pelos or clay in Greek
From Grit + Stone
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Layered and Foliated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Construction Aggregate, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
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.
Mineral Content
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz
Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Fibrous
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.7
2.250
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0-300 g/cm3
2.2 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Western Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Available
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Metapelite vs Gritstone 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. Metapelite vs Gritstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Metapelite and Properties of Gritstone. Learn more about Metapelite vs Gritstone in the next section. The interior uses of Metapelite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Gritstone include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Metapelite and Gritstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Metapelite in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Gritstone include Construction aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Metapelite and Gritstone
Here you can know more about Metapelite and Gritstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Metapelite and Gritstone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Metapelite includes Albite, Chlorite, Quartz and mineral content of Gritstone includes Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Metapelite vs Gritstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors whereas, Gritstone is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Metapelite is Banded and that of Gritstone is Layered and Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Metapelite vs Gritstone. The hardness of Metapelite is 5-6 and that of Gritstone is 6-7. The types of Metapelite are Not Available whereas types of Gritstone are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Metapelite is unknown while that of Gritstone is white. The specific heat capacity of Metapelite is 0.72 kJ/Kg K and that of Gritstone is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Metapelite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Gritstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.