Argillite

Skarn

Argillite and Skarn

Argillite

Skarn

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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

Skarns are formed during regional or contact metamorphism and from a variety of metasomatic processes involving fluids of magmatic, metamorphic, and/or marine origin

History

Origin

USA, Australia

Discoverer

Unknown

Tornebohm

Etymology

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

From an old Swedish mining term originally used to describe a type of silicate gangue or waste rock.

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic, Polished

Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough

Color

Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Dull

Dull

Uses

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, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Gold and Silver production, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Metamorphic rock

Endoskarns

Features

Is one of the oldest rock

Host Rock for Lead, Zinc and Copper Deposits

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.

Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Skarn is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Garnet, Magnetite, Pyroxene, Titanite

Compound Content

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

Au, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Cu, Fe, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-36.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Irregular

Streak

White to Grey

Light to dark brown

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

-70.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

2.4

Specific Gravity

2.56-2.682.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.54-2.66 g/cm³2.8-2.9 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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

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

United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Argillite and Skarn Properties

Know all about Argillite and Skarn properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Skarn belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Argillite is Clastic, Polished whereas that of Skarn is Earthy, Mud-rich, Rough. Argillite appears Rough and Dull and Skarn appears Dull. The luster of Argillite and Skarn is waxy and dull. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas Skarn is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends and that of Skarn are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, metallurgical flux, source of magnesia (mgo).