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
An iron rich extrusive rock found as a member of the alkali basalt magma series
Origin
Unknown
Isle of Mull, Scotland
Discoverer
Unknown
Ben More
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
From the name of discoverer, Ben More
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
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Polished
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, 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
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Not Available
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt
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.
Benmoreite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase
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, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
Black
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Earthy
Compressive Strength
Not Available
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
Argillite vs Benmoreite 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 Benmoreite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Argillite and Properties of Benmoreite. Learn more about Argillite vs Benmoreite in the next section. The interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Benmoreite include Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Argillite and Benmoreite, 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 Benmoreite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Argillite and Benmoreite
Here you can know more about Argillite and Benmoreite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Argillite and Benmoreite 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 Benmoreite includes Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Argillite vs Benmoreite, 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, Benmoreite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Argillite is Rough and Dull and that of Benmoreite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Argillite vs Benmoreite. The hardness of Argillite is 2-3 and that of Benmoreite is 6. The types of Argillite are Not Available whereas types of Benmoreite are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt. 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 Benmoreite is black. The specific heat capacity of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Benmoreite is 0.84 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 Benmoreite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.