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
Icelandite belongs to volcanic igneous rocks which is rich in iron and belongs to andesite rock
Discoverer
Unknown
Ian S. E. Carmichael
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
From its origin place near Cenozoic volcano near the parsonage Þingmúli in East Iceland
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Polished
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Dull and Soft
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
Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
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.
Icelandite 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.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Compound Content
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Silicon 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
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
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
Cleavage
Slaty
Not Available
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
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
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
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
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
Argillite vs Icelandite 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 Icelandite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Argillite and Properties of Icelandite. Learn more about Argillite vs Icelandite in the next section. The interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Icelandite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Argillite and Icelandite, 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 Icelandite include Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Argillite and Icelandite
Here you can know more about Argillite and Icelandite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Argillite and Icelandite 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 Icelandite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Argillite vs Icelandite, 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, Icelandite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors. Appearance of Argillite is Rough and Dull and that of Icelandite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Argillite vs Icelandite. The hardness of Argillite is 2-3 and that of Icelandite is 7. The types of Argillite are Not Available whereas types of Icelandite are Not Available. 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 Icelandite is white. The specific heat capacity of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Icelandite 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 Icelandite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant.