Argillite and Basalt
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
Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth
History
Origin
Unknown
Egypt
Discoverer
Unknown
Georgius Agricola
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
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, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Clastic, Polished
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Maintenance
Less
More
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
No
No
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Stain Resistant
Yes
Yes
Wind Resistant
Yes
No
Acid Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Dull and Soft
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing, Whetstones
Industry
Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums
Types
Types
Not Available
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India
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.
Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
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, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
No
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Contact Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering
Erosion
Yes
No
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Not Available
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
2-3
6
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Not Available
Compressive Strength
Not Available
37.40 N/mm2
28
Cleavage
Slaty
Not Available
Toughness
2.6
2.3
Specific Gravity
2.56-2.68
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.87 kJ/Kg K
14
0.84 kJ/Kg K
15
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
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
All about Argillite and Basalt Properties
Know all about Argillite and Basalt properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Basalt belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Argillite is Clastic, Polished whereas that of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Argillite appears Rough and Dull and Basalt appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Argillite is waxy and dull while that of Basalt is not available. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas Basalt 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 Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums.
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