Argillite

Anthracite

Argillite and Anthracite

Argillite

Anthracite

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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

Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster

History

Origin

Pennsylvania, U.S.

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite

From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic, Polished

Amorphous, Glassy

Color

Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White

Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Dull

Veined or Pebbled

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production

Medical Industry

In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry

Types

Metamorphic rock

Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite

Features

Is one of the oldest rock

Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

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.

Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.

Composition

Mineral Content

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz

Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals

Compound Content

Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-31-1.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Conchoidal

Streak

White to Grey

Black

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Shiny

Compressive Strength

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.56-2.681.1-1.4

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.54-2.66 g/cm³1.25-2.5 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.87 kJ/Kg K1.32 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Water Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

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

Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria

All about Argillite and Anthracite Properties

Know all about Argillite and Anthracite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Anthracite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Argillite is Clastic, Polished whereas that of Anthracite is Amorphous, Glassy. Argillite appears Rough and Dull and Anthracite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Argillite is waxy and dull while that of Anthracite is shiny. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends and that of Anthracite are alumina refineries, electricity generation, liquid fuel, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, paper industry.