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
Mugearite is a type of oligoclase bearing basalt, also comprising of olivine, apatite, and opaque oxides
Origin
Unknown
Skye, Scotland
Discoverer
Unknown
Alfred Harker
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
From mugear + -ite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Polished
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Creating Artwork
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
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
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.
Mugearite 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.
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
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Not Applicable
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
Cleavage
Slaty
Not Applicable
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
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
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 Mugearite Properties
Know all about Argillite and Mugearite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Mugearite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Argillite is Clastic, Polished whereas that of Mugearite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Argillite appears Rough and Dull and Mugearite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Argillite is waxy and dull while that of Mugearite is not available. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas Mugearite 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 Mugearite are creating artwork.