Argillite

Felsite

Argillite vs Felsite

Argillite

Felsite

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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

Felsite is a very fine grained volcanic rock that may or may not contain larger crystals and light colored rock that typically requires petrographic examination or chemical analysis for more precise definition

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite

From English feldspar and -ite

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic, Polished

Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous

Color

Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Dull

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Surgery

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

Mirror, Jewelry

Types

Metamorphic rock

Igneous rock

Features

Is one of the oldest rock

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, Splintery, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

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.

Felsite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.

Composition

Mineral Content

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz

Feldspar, Iron Oxides

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-35-5.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Conchoidal

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

-0.15 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.56-2.682.6-2.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent

Density

2.54-2.66 g/cm³2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.87 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Kenya

Europe

Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

New Zealand

Argillite vs Felsite 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 Felsite 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. Felsite is a very fine grained volcanic rock that may or may not contain larger crystals and light colored rock that typically requires petrographic examination or chemical analysis for more precise definition. 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 Felsite information and Argillite vs Felsite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Argillite vs Felsite 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 Felsite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Argillite and Properties of Felsite. Learn more about Argillite vs Felsite in the next section. The interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Felsite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Argillite and Felsite, 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 Felsite include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points.

More about Argillite and Felsite

Here you can know more about Argillite and Felsite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Argillite and Felsite 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 Felsite includes Feldspar, Iron Oxides. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Argillite vs Felsite, 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, Felsite is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. Appearance of Argillite is Rough and Dull and that of Felsite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Argillite vs Felsite. The hardness of Argillite is 2-3 and that of Felsite is 5-5.5. The types of Argillite are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Felsite are Igneous rock. 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 Felsite is white. The specific heat capacity of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Felsite is 0.92 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 Felsite is heat resistant, impact resistant.