Schist and Syenite

Schist

Syenite

Definition

Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation

Syenite is a coarse-grained igneous rock which is composed mainly of alkali feldspar and various ferromagnesian minerals

History

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split

From French syénite, from Latin Syenites (lapis ) (stone) of Syene

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated, Platy

Earthy

Color

Black, Blue, Brown, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Silver

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Layered and Shiny

Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration

Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

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

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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Used in aquariums, Writing Slates

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Mica Schists, Calc-Silicate Schists, Graphite Schists, Blueschists, Whiteschists, Greenschists, Hornblende Schist, Talc Schist, Chlorite Schist, Garnet Schist, Glaucophane schist.

Shonkinite

Features

Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable

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

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Not Yet Used

Used

Fossils

Absent

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.

Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.

Composition

Mineral Content

Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-4

5.5-6

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Not Available

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Shiny

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

Not Available

150.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Slaty

Perfect

Toughness

1.5

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.9

2.6-2.7

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

2.6-2.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

0.92 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

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

USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

Brazil, Chile

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Schist and Syenite Properties

Know all about Schist and Syenite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Schist belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Syenite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Schist is Foliated, Platy whereas that of Syenite is Earthy. Schist appears Layered and Shiny and Syenite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Schist is shiny while that of Syenite is subvitreous to dull. Schist is available in black, blue, brown, dark brown, green, grey, silver colors whereas Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Schist are used in aquariums, writing slates and that of Syenite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.