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
  
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
England
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
  
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic, Polished
  
Brecciated, Clastic
  
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
  
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough and Dull
  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
  
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
  
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
  
Types
Not Available
  
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
  
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Present
  
Present
  
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.
  
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
  
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
  
Compound Content
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
2-3
  
7
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White to Grey
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Waxy and Dull
  
Dull to Pearly
  
Cleavage
Slaty
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
2.6
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.56-2.68
  
2.86-2.87
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
  
0 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.87 kJ/Kg K
  
14
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
  
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
  
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
Argillite vs Breccia 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 Breccia characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Argillite and Properties of Breccia. Learn more about Argillite vs Breccia in the next section. The interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Breccia include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Argillite and Breccia, 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 Breccia include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone.
More about Argillite and Breccia
Here you can know more about Argillite and Breccia. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Argillite and Breccia 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 Breccia includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Argillite vs Breccia, 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, Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Argillite is Rough and Dull and that of Breccia is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Argillite vs Breccia. The hardness of Argillite is 2-3 and that of Breccia is 7. The types of Argillite are Not Available whereas types of Breccia are Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia. 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 Breccia is white. The specific heat capacity of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Breccia is Not Available. 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 Breccia is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.