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
Scoria is a dark-colored extrusive igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
From late Middle English (denoting slag from molten metal), from Greek skōria refuse, from skōr dung
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
Vesicular
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Black, Brown, Dark Grey to Black, Red
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Glassy and Vesicular
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works
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
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, Creating Artwork, High-temperature insulation, In gas barbecue grills
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Surfaces are often shiny
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.
Scoria forms when magma containing huge amount of dissolved gas flows from a volcano during an eruption.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, NaCl
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.56-2.68
Not Available
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
Not Available
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, 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, Western Australia
Argillite vs Scoria 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 Scoria characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Argillite and Properties of Scoria. Learn more about Argillite vs Scoria in the next section. The interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Scoria include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Argillite and Scoria, 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 Scoria include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works.
More about Argillite and Scoria
Here you can know more about Argillite and Scoria. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Argillite and Scoria 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 Scoria includes Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Argillite vs Scoria, 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, Scoria is available in black, brown, dark grey to black, red colors. Appearance of Argillite is Rough and Dull and that of Scoria is Glassy and Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Argillite vs Scoria. The hardness of Argillite is 2-3 and that of Scoria is 5-6. The types of Argillite are Not Available whereas types of Scoria 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 Scoria is white. The specific heat capacity of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Scoria 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 Scoria is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.