Argillite and Tuff
Definition
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
Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption
History
Origin
Unknown
Italy
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
From a Latin word tophous then in Italian tufo and finally tuff
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Clastic, Polished
Clastic, Pyroclastic
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Brown, Grey, Yellow
Maintenance
Less
More
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
No
Yes
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Stain Resistant
Yes
No
Wind Resistant
Yes
No
Acid Resistant
Yes
No
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, 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.
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Creating Artwork
Types
Types
Not Available
Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean
Sculpture
Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Used
Fossils
Present
Absent
Formation
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.
Tuff is formed when large masses of ash and sand which are mixed with hot gases are ejected by a volcano and avalanche rapidly down its slopes.
Composition
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Calcite, Chlorite
Compound Content
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
No
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
Yes
Yes
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
2-3
4-6
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Vitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
243.80 N/mm2
5
Cleavage
Slaty
Not Available
Toughness
2.6
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.56-2.68
2.73
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
1-1.8 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.87 kJ/Kg K
14
0.20 kJ/Kg K
25
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Argillite and Tuff Properties
Know all about Argillite and Tuff properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Tuff belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Argillite is Clastic, Polished whereas that of Tuff is Clastic, Pyroclastic. Argillite appears Rough and Dull and Tuff appears Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Argillite is waxy and dull while that of Tuff is vitreous to dull. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas Tuff is available in brown, grey, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends and that of Tuff are creating artwork.
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