Schist

A shimmering metamorphic rock full of aligned mica flakes, often studded with garnets.

Schist specimen — Photo: Michael C. Rygel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify schist

Glitters with visible mica.
Wavy, flaky layers.
Often contains red garnets or other crystals.
Splits unevenly along layers.

Often confused with

Gneiss
Gneiss has distinct light/dark bands and less mica.
Compare side by side
Slate
Slate's grains are invisible and it splits flat.
Compare side by side

Where it's found

Manhattan, New York
Grand Canyon (Vishnu Schist)
Scottish Highlands

Uses

Landscaping and flagstone.

Rock tumbling

Not suitable for tumbling.

Did you know?

Manhattan's skyscrapers cluster where tough Manhattan schist bedrock is close to the surface.

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