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Schist vs Variolite


Variolite vs Schist


Definition

Definition
Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation   
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
France   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split   
From Latin varius, speckled, variegated   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Volcanic   

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

Texture

Texture
Foliated, Platy   
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular   

Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Silver   
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Layered and Shiny   
Dull and Soft   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration   
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens   

Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, 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, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Used in aquariums, Writing Slates   
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   

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   
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock   

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   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
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.   
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.   

Composition
  
  

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

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
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

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

Erosion
Yes   
No   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3.5-4   
6   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Not Applicable   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
White to Grey   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Shiny   
Not Available   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
37.50 N/mm2   
27

Cleavage
Slaty   
Not Available   

Toughness
1.5   
2.3   

Specific Gravity
2.5-2.9   
2.8-3   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

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

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.84 kJ/Kg K   
15

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa   
South Africa   

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

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   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland   
Not Yet Found   

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Schist vs Variolite 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 Variolite Reserves. Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation. Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance. 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 Variolite information and Schist vs Variolite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Schist vs Variolite 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 Variolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Schist and Properties of Variolite. Learn more about Schist vs Variolite in the next section. The interior uses of Schist include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Variolite include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Schist and Variolite, 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 Variolite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.

More about Schist and Variolite

Here you can know more about Schist and Variolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Schist and Variolite 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 Variolite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Schist vs Variolite, 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, Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Schist is Layered and Shiny and that of Variolite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Schist vs Variolite. The hardness of Schist is 3.5-4 and that of Variolite is 6. 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 Variolite are Not Available. 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 Variolite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Schist is Not Available and that of Variolite is 0.84 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 Variolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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