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What is Blueschist?



Definition

Definition
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature

History

Origin
USA

Discoverer
Edgar Bailey

Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split

Class
Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group
-

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

Texture

Texture
Foliated

Color
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue

Maintenance
Less

Durability
Durable

Water Resistant
No

Scratch Resistant
No

Stain Resistant
No

Wind Resistant
No

Acid Resistant
No

Appearance
Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses
-

Industry

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry
-

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones

Types

Types
Metamorphic rock

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

Archaeological Significance

Monuments
-

Famous Monuments
-

Sculpture
-

Famous Sculptures
-

Pictographs
-

Petroglyphs
-

Figurines
-

Fossils
Absent

Formation

Formation
Blueschist forms due to the metamorphism of basalt and other rocks with similar composition at high pressures and low temperatures and approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 500 °C.

Composition

Mineral Content
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz

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

Transformation

Metamorphism
No

Types of Metamorphism
-

Weathering
Yes

Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering

Erosion
Yes

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness
3.5-4

Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture
Conchoidal

Streak
White to Grey

Porosity
Highly Porous

Luster
Dull

Compressive Strength
220.00 N/mm2 9

Cleavage
Slaty

Toughness
1.5

Specific Gravity
3-3.2

Transparency
Opaque

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K 15

Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia
Japan, Turkey

Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa

Europe
France, Greece, Iceland

Others
-

Deposits in Western Continents

North America
USA

South America
-

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia
New Zealand

Summary >>
<< Reserves

Igneous Rocks

Learn more about Properties of Blueschist

What is Blueschist? In this section, we will learn more about properties of Blueschist i.e. physical and thermal properties. Physical properties of Blueschist include Color, Streak, Hardness, Structure, Cleavage, Fracture, Luster, Specific Gravity etc. The strength of Blueschist is 220.00 N/mm2. Streak of Blueschist is white to grey while its cleavage is slaty. Luster of Blueschist is dull and its fracture is conchoidal. Blueschist is opaque in nature. Know all about Blueschist, What is Blueschist, its composition, features, facts and reserves in next sections.

Know about Composition of Blueschist

What is Blueschist composed of? Get to know about composition of Blueschist here. Blueschist definition gives information about the Formation of Blueschist and its composition.The composition of Blueschist can be further divided into mineral and compound content. The mineral content of Blueschist rock includes Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz and The compound content of Blueschist rock includes Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide. Almost all rocks undergo transformation process. Know all about Blueschist rock in next section.

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