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Argillite and Adakite


Adakite and Argillite


Definition

Definition
Argillites are highly compact sedimentary or slightly metamorphosed rocks that consist largely or wholly of particles of clay or silt but lack the fissility of shale or the cleavage characteristic of slate   
Adakite is an intermediate to felsic volcanic rock that has geochemical characteristics of magma which is said to be formed by partial melting of altered basalt that is subducted below volcanic arcs   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Adak, Aleutian Islands   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Defant and Drummond   

Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite   
From Adak, Aleutian Islands   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Volcanic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Polished   
Porphyritic   

Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White   
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Rough and Dull   
Dull and Soft   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones   
Whetstones   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.   
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends   
Commemorative Tablets, Pottery, Used in aquariums   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Is one of the oldest rock   
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Host rock for Diamond, Very fine grained rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Present   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
An argillite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock mainly composed of clay particles which forms from lithified muds which contain variable amounts of silt-sized particles.   
Adakite rocks are formed when the hydrous fluids are released from minerals that break down in metamorphosed basalt, and rise into the mantle they initiate partial melting.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz   
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering   
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion   
Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
2-3   
3-4   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine to Medium Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White to Grey   
Bluish Black   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Waxy and Dull   
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous   

Cleavage
Slaty   
Not Available   

Toughness
2.6   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.56-2.68   
Not Available   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm3   
Not Available   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.87 kJ/Kg K   
14
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia   
India, Russia   

Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania   
Ethiopia, Somalia, South Africa   

Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland   
Iceland   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia   
Not Yet Found   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Argillite and Adakite Properties

Know all about Argillite and Adakite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Adakite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Argillite is Clastic, Polished whereas that of Adakite is Porphyritic. Argillite appears Rough and Dull and Adakite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Argillite is waxy and dull while that of Adakite is grainy, pearly and vitreous. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas Adakite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends and that of Adakite are commemorative tablets, pottery, used in aquariums.

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