Mica, Schist, and Gneiss
Scotland is famous for its ancient gneiss, some of which are the oldest rocks in the UK, possibly in Europe, and a contender for oldest in the world. Scottish gneiss can be billions of years old. It works its way out of the Highlands slowly, eroded by time and the rain.
Mica, Schist, and Gneiss are by no means exclusive to Scotland. If we come across any from other countries we will include it here.
Mica, Schist, and Gneiss are all Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks are those which start out as one type of rock and change into another type of rock over time. Gneiss can begin as many sedimentary or igneous rocks but is most commonly a metamorphosis of shale. I.e. when you bake shale deep down in the earth and apply massive amounts of time and pressure, you might end up with gneiss.
Other types of metamorphic rock include quartzite (sandstone with its molecules gradually replaced with sillica), marble (which is pure calcium carbonate A.K.A calcite), and limestone - which is what happens to calcite over time if the molecules are not pure enough to become marble.
TSC are committed to making rock hunting and crystal selling as ethical as possible. To stay environmentally sustainable, we collect rubbish, source rocks responsibly, and even plant the occasional tree.
