metamorphic
Khondalite
Garnet-sillimanite-graphite schist/gneiss
Hardness: 6-7.5 (due to garnet/sillimanite content); color: reddish-brown, greyish-white; luster: vitreous to pearly; structure: foliated/schistose; specific gravity: 2.8-3.2
- Hardness
- 6-7
- Color
- reddish-brown, greyish-white
- Luster
- vitreous to pearly
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7.5 (due to garnet/sillimanite content); color: reddish-brown, greyish-white; luster: vitreous to pearly; structure: foliated/schistose; specific gravity: 2.8-3.2
Formation & geological history
Formed through high-grade regional metamorphism of pelitic (clay-rich) sediments under high temperature and pressure. Associated with the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt in India, dating back to the Archean/Proterozoic era.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in heavy construction, as road metal, and traditionally as a prestigious building stone for temples and monuments in South Asia.
Geological facts
It is named after the Khond tribe of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Famous UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Sun Temple at Konark are built using this rock.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by the presence of red garnets embedded in a foliated, aluminous matrix. It is extremely common in the Eastern Ghats (Visakhapatnam region, roughly 17.7N, 83.3E), matching your coordinates perfectly.
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