1 Definition
1.1 Definition
Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
1.2 History
1.2.1 Origin
1.2.2 Discoverer
1.3 Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
1.4 Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
1.4.1 Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
1.5 Family
1.5.1 Group
1.6 Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
2 Texture
2.1 Texture
Foliated, Platy
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
2.2 Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Silver
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
2.3 Maintenance
2.4 Durability
2.4.1 Water Resistant
2.4.2 Scratch Resistant
2.4.3 Stain Resistant
2.4.4 Wind Resistant
2.4.5 Acid Resistant
2.5 Appearance
Layered and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
3 Uses
3.1 Architecture
3.1.1 Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
3.1.2 Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses
3.2 Industry
3.2.1 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
3.2.2 Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
3.3 Antiquity Uses
3.4 Other Uses
3.4.1 Commercial Uses
Used in aquariums, Writing Slates
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
4 Types
4.1 Types
Mica Schists, Calc-Silicate Schists, Graphite Schists, Blueschists, Whiteschists, Greenschists, Hornblende Schist, Talc Schist, Chlorite Schist, Garnet Schist, Glaucophane schist.
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
4.2 Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
4.3 Archaeological Significance
4.3.1 Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
4.3.2 Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4.3.3 Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
4.3.4 Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4.3.5 Pictographs
4.3.6 Petroglyphs
4.3.7 Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
4.4 Fossils
5 Formation
5.1 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.
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
5.2 Composition
5.2.1 Mineral Content
Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
5.2.2 Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
5.3 Transformation
5.3.1 Metamorphism
5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
5.3.3 Weathering
5.3.4 Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
5.3.5 Erosion
5.3.6 Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
6 Properties
6.1 Physical Properties
6.1.1 Hardness
6.1.2 Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
6.1.3 Fracture
6.1.4 Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
6.1.5 Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
6.1.6 Luster
Shiny
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
6.1.7 Compressive Strength
6.1.8 Cleavage
6.1.9 Toughness
6.1.10 Specific Gravity
6.1.11 Transparency
6.1.12 Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm33.1-3.6 g/cm3
0
1400
6.2 Thermal Properties
6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity
6.2.2 Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
7 Reserves
7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents
7.1.1 Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
India, Russia
7.1.2 Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa
7.1.3 Europe
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
7.1.4 Others
7.2 Deposits in Western Continents
7.2.1 North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, USA
7.2.2 South America
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent
7.3.1 Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand, Queensland