Argillite

Flint

Argillite and Flint

Argillite

Flint

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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

Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic, Polished

Banded, Rough

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

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

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

Types

Metamorphic rock

Chert and Jasper

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

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

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.

Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Silicon

Compound Content

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

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-37

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Conchoidal

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

-450.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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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/cm³2.7-2.71 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

Azerbaijan, China, Russia

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

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

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Bolivia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

New Zealand, South Australia

All about Argillite and Flint Properties

Know all about Argillite and Flint properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Argillite and Flint belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Argillite is Clastic, Polished whereas that of Flint is Banded, Rough. Argillite appears Rough and Dull and Flint appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Argillite is waxy and dull while that of Flint is vitreous. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas Flint 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 Flint are creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.