schist
Flaky metamorphic rock
Schist is a metamorphic rock with a layered, flaky structure that causes it to split easily along parallel planes.
The visible alignment of mineral grains—often mica, giving the rock a shiny appearance—distinguishes schist from other rocks.
Geologists use it as an indicator of the pressure and heat conditions that formed a region: The trail cut through bands of ancient schist.
Layered silicate mineral
- garnetRed semiprecious stone
- biotiteIron-rich layered silicate
- muscoviteCommon pale mica
- chloriteGreen sheet silicate mineral
kyanite · graphite · talc · hornblende · feldspar · quartz · tourmaline · porphyroblast
Foliated metamorphic rock
- amphiboliteMetamorphosed mafic rock
- quartziteMetamorphic silica-rich stone
- marbleRecrystallized limestone rock
- slateFissile metamorphic rock
metamorphism · foliation · recrystallization · pressure · temperature · regional · contact · subduction
Layered like pages
- flakyCrumbly or unreliable
- platyFlat or layered
- lustrousSoftly bright, reflective
- sparklyEmitting small flashes
layered · wavy · crenulated · lineation · cleavage · fissile · silvery · glittery
Surfacing native stone
- formationCreation or arrangement
- terraneFault-bounded crustal fragment
- orogenyGeological mountain formation
- stratumHorizontal layer of material
bedrock · exposure · fieldwork · thin section · geologist · mapping · mountain building · crustal
Flat stone for paving
- landscapingModifying outdoor areas aesthetically
- building stoneQuarried rock for construction
- roofingInstalling overhead shelter material
- decorativeServing to beautify
garden path · retaining wall · quarry · masonry · paving · aggregate
mica
Layered silicate mineral
chlorite · kyanite · graphite · talc · hornblende · feldspar · quartz · tourmaline · porphyroblast · crystal
gneiss
Foliated metamorphic rock
- amphiboliteMetamorphosed mafic rock
- quartziteMetamorphic silica-rich stone
- marbleRecrystallized limestone rock
slate · metamorphism · foliation · recrystallization · pressure · temperature · regional · contact · subduction · prograde
foliated
Layered like pages
sparkly · layered · wavy · crenulated · lineation · cleavage · fissile · silvery · glittery · undulating
outcrop
Surfacing native stone
- formationCreation or arrangement
- terraneFault-bounded crustal fragment
- orogenyGeological mountain formation
stratum · bedrock · exposure · fieldwork · thin section · geologist · mapping · mountain building · crustal · tectonic
flagstone
Flat stone for paving
- landscapingModifying outdoor areas aesthetically
- building stoneQuarried rock for construction
- roofingInstalling overhead shelter material
decorative · garden path · retaining wall · quarry · masonry · paving · aggregate
- geologybedrock, fault lines, faults, rock, basalt
- mineralsquartz, marble, granite, limestone, sandstone
- rocksbasalt, granite, sandstone, marble, shale
- earth materialsrock, soil, mud, clay, mineral
- stonesboulder, pebble, cobblestone, flagstone, cobble
- geology termsfossils, rock layers, core sample, gneiss, strata
- Western SchismPeriod of competing popes
- religious schismDivision within a faith
- Great SchismHistoric Christian church division