Argillite

Felsite

Argillite and Felsite

Argillite

Felsite

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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

Felsite is a very fine grained volcanic rock that may or may not contain larger crystals and light colored rock that typically requires petrographic examination or chemical analysis for more precise definition

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From English feldspar and -ite

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic, Polished

Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous

Color

Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Dull

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Surgery

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

Mirror, Jewelry

Types

Metamorphic rock

Igneous rock

Features

Is one of the oldest rock

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, Splintery, Very fine grained 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.

Felsite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Feldspar, Iron Oxides

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

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-35-5.5

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Conchoidal

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

-0.15 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.56-2.682.6-2.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent

Density

2.54-2.66 g/cm³2.6 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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Kenya

Europe

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

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

New Zealand

All about Argillite and Felsite Properties

Know all about Argillite and Felsite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Felsite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Argillite is Clastic, Polished whereas that of Felsite is Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous. Argillite appears Rough and Dull and Felsite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Argillite is waxy and dull while that of Felsite is vitreous. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas Felsite is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends and that of Felsite are mirror, jewelry.