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
Siltstone can be defined as a fine-grained sedimentary rock which mainly consists of consolidated silt
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
From English word silt and stone and from Proto-Indo-European root sal and stainaz
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Polished
Clastic
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Brown, Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Rough
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Soil Conditioner
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Very fine grained 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.
Siltstone is a type of sedimentary rock which is formed from fine rock particles. As the particles of eroded rock travel along with water, the edges of the rock are worn-out by water into a rounded shape.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt
Compound Content
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
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
Dull
Cleavage
Slaty
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.56-2.68
2.54-2.73
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
2.6-2.7 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, 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
Canada, 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 Siltstone 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 Siltstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Argillite and Properties of Siltstone. Learn more about Argillite vs Siltstone in the next section. The interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Siltstone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Argillite and Siltstone, 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 Siltstone include Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Argillite and Siltstone
Here you can know more about Argillite and Siltstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Argillite and Siltstone 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 Siltstone includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Argillite vs Siltstone, 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, Siltstone is available in brown, red, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Argillite is Rough and Dull and that of Siltstone is Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Argillite vs Siltstone. The hardness of Argillite is 2-3 and that of Siltstone is 6-7. The types of Argillite are Not Available whereas types of Siltstone 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 Siltstone is white. The specific heat capacity of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K and that of Siltstone 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 Siltstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.