Quartzite

Blueschist

Quartzite and Blueschist

Quartzite

Blueschist

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Definition

Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone

Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Edgar Bailey

Etymology

From quartz + -ite

From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated, Granular

Foliated

Color

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow

Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Lustrous

Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes

Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

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

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones

Types

Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite

Metamorphic rock

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.

Blueschist forms due to the metamorphism of basalt and other rocks with similar composition at high pressures and low temperatures and approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 500 °C.

Composition

Mineral Content

Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz

Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-73.5-4

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium Grained

Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Conchoidal

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Dull

Compressive Strength

115.00 N/mm²220.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Indiscernible

Slaty

Toughness

1.9

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.83-3.2

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Transparent to Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.32-2.42 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.75 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Japan, Turkey

Africa

Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa

Europe

England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom

France, Greece, Iceland

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Bahamas, Canada, USA

USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

New Zealand

All about Quartzite and Blueschist Properties

Know all about Quartzite and Blueschist properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Quartzite and Blueschist belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Quartzite is Foliated, Granular whereas that of Blueschist is Foliated. Quartzite appears Lustrous and Blueschist appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Quartzite is vitreous while that of Blueschist is dull. Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors whereas Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors. The commercial uses of Quartzite are an oil and gas reservoir, as armour rock for sea walls, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, in aquifers, laboratory bench tops, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Blueschist are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling, tombstones.