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
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
Discoverer
Unknown
Edgar Bailey
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Polished
Foliated
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
-
Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
Types
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Blueschist forms due to the metamorphism of basalt and other rocks with similar composition at high pressures and low temperatures and approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 500 °C.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
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
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Dull
Specific Gravity
2.56-2.68
3-3.2
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Japan, Turkey
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
France, Greece, Iceland
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
New Zealand
Argillite vs Blueschist 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 Blueschist characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Argillite and Properties of Blueschist. Learn more about Argillite vs Blueschist in the next section. The interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Blueschist include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Argillite and Blueschist, 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 Blueschist include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Argillite and Blueschist
Here you can know more about Argillite and Blueschist. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Argillite and Blueschist 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 Blueschist includes Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Argillite vs Blueschist, 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, Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors. Appearance of Argillite is Rough and Dull and that of Blueschist is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Argillite vs Blueschist. The hardness of Argillite is 2-3 and that of Blueschist is 3.5-4. The types of Argillite are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Blueschist are Metamorphic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Argillite and Blueschist is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Blueschist 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 Blueschist is impact resistant, pressure resistant.