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
Dacite is a volcanic igneous rock which is rintermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite
History
Origin
-
Romania and Moldova, Europe
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
From Dacia, a province of the Roman Empire which lay between the Danube River and Carpathian Mountains where the rock was first described
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Family
Group
-
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Polished
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Vesicular
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Metamorphic rock
Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead, Is one of the oldest rock
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.
Dacitic magma is formed by the subduction of young oceanic crust under a thick felsic continental plate. Further, the Oceanic crust is hydrothermally altered as quartz and sodium are added.
Composition
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Compound Content
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
2-32-2.25
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
-70.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Slaty
Perfect
Toughness
2.6
-
Specific Gravity
2.56-2.682.86-2.87
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm32.77-2.771 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.87 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
-
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
-
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
France, Greece, Romania, Scotland, Spain
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
USA
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia