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Schist and Cataclasite


Cataclasite and Schist


Definition

Definition
Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation   
Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Swiss Alps, Europe   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Michael Tellinger   

Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split   
From the Italian word cataclasi   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Foliated, Platy   
Clastic   

Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Silver   
Brown, Green, White, Yellow   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
No   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Layered and Shiny   
Dull and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Homes   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone   
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Used in aquariums, Writing Slates   
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Mica Schists, Calc-Silicate Schists, Graphite Schists, Blueschists, Whiteschists, Greenschists, Hornblende Schist, Talc Schist, Chlorite Schist, Garnet Schist, Glaucophane schist.   
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite   

Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch   
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Schist formed by dynamic metamorphism at high temperatures and pressures that aligns the grains of mica, hornblende and other elongated minerals into thin layers.   
Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc   
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz   

Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO   
Silicon Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion   
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3.5-4   
3-4   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
NA   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Shiny   
Vitreous   

Cleavage
Slaty   
Not Available   

Toughness
1.5   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.5-2.9   
2.1   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
2.9-3.1 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam   
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea   

Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa   
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa   

Europe
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland   
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana   
Argentina, Colombia   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Schist and Cataclasite Properties

Know all about Schist and Cataclasite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Schist and Cataclasite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Schist is Foliated, Platy whereas that of Cataclasite is Clastic. Schist appears Layered and Shiny and Cataclasite appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Schist is shiny while that of Cataclasite is vitreous. Schist is available in black, blue, brown, dark brown, green, grey, silver colors whereas Cataclasite is available in brown, green, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Schist are used in aquariums, writing slates and that of Cataclasite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork.

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