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Schistosity identification and geology

A type of foliation in medium-grade metamorphic rocks characterized by the visible, parallel alignment of platy and elongate minerals especially micas, chlorite, and talc , giving the rock a layered, flaky appearance and the ability to split along foliation surfaces. Schistosity is the defining fabric of schists and develops under directed pressure during regional metamorphism. Field: petrology. Example: Garnet-mica schist from the Barrovian metamorphic zones of Scotland displays well-developed schistosity defined by aligned muscovite and biotite crystals that wrap around large garnet porphyroblasts.. Related terms: Foliation, Schist, Metamorphism, Mica.

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:42.096023+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Schistosity mean in geology?
A type of foliation in medium-grade metamorphic rocks characterized by the visible, parallel alignment of platy and elongate minerals especially micas, chlorite, and talc , giving the rock a layered, flaky appearance and the ability to split along foliation surfaces. Schistosity is the defining fabric of schists and develops under directed pressure during regional metamorphism.
What is an example of Schistosity?
Garnet-mica schist from the Barrovian metamorphic zones of Scotland displays well-developed schistosity defined by aligned muscovite and biotite crystals that wrap around large garnet porphyroblasts.
Which earth-science field uses the term Schistosity?
Schistosity is used in petrology.
Which terms are related to Schistosity?
Related terms in this reference are Foliation, Schist, Metamorphism, Mica.

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