Argillite

Basanite

Argillite and Basanite

Argillite

Basanite

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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

Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Latin basanites + -ite

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic, Polished

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Color

Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Dull

Glassy or Pearly

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

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

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

As a touchstone, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms

Types

Metamorphic rock

Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite

Features

Is one of the oldest rock

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone

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.

Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase

Compound Content

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

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-37

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

-100.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.56-2.682.5-2.8

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.54-2.66 g/cm³2.7 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.87 kJ/Kg K0.74 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Uganda

Europe

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

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

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

All about Argillite and Basanite Properties

Know all about Argillite and Basanite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Basanite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Argillite is Clastic, Polished whereas that of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Argillite appears Rough and Dull and Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Argillite and Basanite is waxy and dull. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends and that of Basanite are as a touchstone, creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.