Where is schist found in the world

The large black grain is the garnet, the red elongate grains are mica flakes. The black, gray, and white grains are mostly silt or smaller size grains of quartz and feldspar. The garnet has grown by replacing, displacing, and including the mineral grains of the surrounding rock. You can see many of these grains as inclusions within the garnet.

From this photo it is easy to understand why clean, gem-quality garnets with no inclusions are very hard to find. It is also hard to understand how garnet can grow into nice euhedral crystals under these conditions. Photo by Jackdann88, used here under a Creative Commons license.

Schist is not a rock with numerous industrial uses. Its abundant mica grains and its schistosity make it a rock of low physical strength, usually unsuitable for use as a construction aggregate , building stone, or decorative stone. The only exception is for its use as a fill when the physical properties of the material are not critical.

Schist is often the host rock for a variety of gemstones that form in metamorphic rocks. Gem-quality garnet , kyanite , tanzanite , emerald , andalusite , sphene , sapphire , ruby , scapolite , iolite , chrysoberyl and many other gem materials are found in schist. Gem materials found in schist are often highly included.

This is because their mineral crystals grow within the rock matrix, often including mineral grains of the host rock instead of replacing them or pushing them aside. The best metamorphic host rock for gem materials is usually limestone , which is easily dissolved or replaced when the gem materials are formed. Home » Rocks » Metamorphic Rocks » Schist Schist A foliated metamorphic rock that contains abundant platy mineral grains.

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Tumbled Stones. Toggle navigation. Schist Rock Facts Schist is a metamorphic rock that contains flakes of mica. Schist can originate as a sedimentary rock or igneous rock.

It can contain different miners. Interesting Schist Rock Facts: Schist and slate are very similar in that they are made from the same rock types except schist is subjected to more heat and pressure. Schist is often referred to as schistosity because of its large mica flakes. Info Alerts Maps Calendar Reserve. Alerts In Effect Dismiss. Dismiss View all alerts. The Great Pillars Schists are strongly foliated, and look like a stack of paper.

The most common variety in Black Canyon is Albite. It is rich in sodium. Albite is used as a gemstone, also known as "moonstone," but gem quality finds are rare in the United States. Is used commercially in the ceramics industry as well. The name albite comes from the Latin "albus" or white. Albite is found in schists, gneisses and quartz monzonite.