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
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
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Platy
Clastic
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Silver
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered and Shiny
Dull and Banded
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
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
Commercial Uses
Used in aquariums, Writing Slates
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
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
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
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.
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
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
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
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
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
Schist vs Cataclasite 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. Schist vs Cataclasite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Schist and Properties of Cataclasite. Learn more about Schist vs Cataclasite in the next section. The interior uses of Schist include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Cataclasite include Decorative aggregates and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Schist and Cataclasite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Schist in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Cataclasite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Schist and Cataclasite
Here you can know more about Schist and Cataclasite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Schist and Cataclasite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Schist includes Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc and mineral content of Cataclasite includes Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Schist vs Cataclasite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Schist is available in black, blue, brown, dark brown, green, grey, silver colors whereas, Cataclasite is available in brown, green, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Schist is Layered and Shiny and that of Cataclasite is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Schist vs Cataclasite. The hardness of Schist is 3.5-4 and that of Cataclasite is 3-4. The types of Schist are Mica Schists, Calc-Silicate Schists, Graphite Schists, Blueschists, Whiteschists, Greenschists, Hornblende Schist, Talc Schist, Chlorite Schist, Garnet Schist, Glaucophane schist. whereas types of Cataclasite are Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Schist is white while that of Cataclasite is black. The specific heat capacity of Schist is Not Available and that of Cataclasite is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Schist is impact resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Cataclasite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.