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Argillite vs Andesite


Andesite vs Argillite


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  
Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava  

History
  
  

Origin
-  
North America  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Theodor von Gümbel  

Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite  
From Andes mountains, where it is found in abundance  

Class
Sedimentary Rocks  
Igneous Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
-  
Volcanic  

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Polished  
Aphanitic to Porphyritic  

Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White  
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow  

Maintenance
Less  
More  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
No  
No  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
Yes  
No  

Acid Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Appearance
Rough and Dull  
Dull and Soft  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration  
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens  

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings  
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles  

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.  
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate  

Medical Industry
-  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends  
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork  

Types

Types
Metamorphic rock  
Icelandite  

Features
Is one of the oldest rock  
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
Middle of the Earth in Ecuador  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

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.  
Andesite is a fine-grained igneous rock that forms when the magma is erupted onto the surface and is crystallized quickly.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz  
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon  

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No  
Yes  

Types of Metamorphism
-  
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  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
2-3  
7  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
Very fine-grained  

Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven  
Uneven  

Streak
White to Grey  
White  

Porosity
Highly Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Waxy and Dull  
Vitreous  

Compressive Strength
-  
225.00 N/mm2  
8

Cleavage
Slaty  
-  

Toughness
2.6  
1.1  

Specific Gravity
2.56-2.68  
2.5-2.8  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm3  
2.11-2.36 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.87 kJ/Kg K  
14
2.39 kJ/Kg K  
2

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia  
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea  

Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania  
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania  

Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland  
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom  

Others
-  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA  
Mexico, USA  

South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela  
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

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Argillite vs Andesite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Argillite and Andesite Reserves. 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. Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Argillite vs Andesite information and Argillite vs Andesite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Argillite vs Andesite Characteristics

Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Argillite vs Andesite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Argillite and Properties of Andesite. Learn more about Argillite vs Andesite in the next section. The interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Andesite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Argillite and Andesite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Argillite in construction industry include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills. and that of Andesite include Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Argillite and Andesite

Here you can know more about Argillite and Andesite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Argillite and Andesite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Argillite includes Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz and mineral content of Andesite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Argillite vs Andesite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors whereas, Andesite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors. Appearance of Argillite is Rough and Dull and that of Andesite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Argillite vs Andesite. The hardness of Argillite is 2-3 and that of Andesite is 7. The types of Argillite are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Andesite are Icelandite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Argillite is white to grey while that of Andesite is white. The specific heat capacity of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Andesite is 2.39 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Andesite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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