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Schist vs Diatomite


Diatomite vs Schist


Definition

Definition
Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation   
Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Germany   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split   
From diatom + -ite1   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft 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 or Non-Clastic   

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

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Non-Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
No   
No   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Layered and Shiny   
Soft   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
Garden Decoration, 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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Used in aquariums, Writing Slates   
Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper   

Types

Types
Mica Schists, Calc-Silicate Schists, Graphite Schists, Blueschists, Whiteschists, Greenschists, Hornblende Schist, Talc Schist, Chlorite Schist, Garnet Schist, Glaucophane schist.   
Not Available   

Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch   
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained 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   
Present   

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.   
Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc   
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand   

Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO   
Ca, NaCl, CaO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

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

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3.5-4   
1   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Very fine-grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Not Available   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Shiny   
Dull   

Cleavage
Slaty   
Non-Existent   

Toughness
1.5   
1   

Specific Gravity
2.5-2.9   
2.3-2.4   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
2.49-2.51 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.90 kJ/Kg K   
12

Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant   
Heat Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam   
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam   

Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa   
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe   

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

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland   
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula   

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Schist vs Diatomite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Schist and Diatomite Reserves. Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation. Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Schist vs Diatomite information and Schist vs Diatomite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Schist vs Diatomite 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 Diatomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Schist and Properties of Diatomite. Learn more about Schist vs Diatomite in the next section. The interior uses of Schist include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diatomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Schist and Diatomite, 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 Diatomite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium.

More about Schist and Diatomite

Here you can know more about Schist and Diatomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Schist and Diatomite 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 Diatomite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Schist vs Diatomite, 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, Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Schist is Layered and Shiny and that of Diatomite is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Schist vs Diatomite. The hardness of Schist is 3.5-4 and that of Diatomite is 1. 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 Diatomite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Schist and Diatomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Schist is Not Available and that of Diatomite is 0.90 kJ/Kg K. 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 Diatomite is heat resistant.

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