Basalt and Argillite
Definition
Definition
Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth
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
History
Origin
Egypt
Unknown
Discoverer
Georgius Agricola
Unknown
Etymology
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Family
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Clastic, Polished
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Maintenance
More
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
No
No
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Stain Resistant
Yes
Yes
Wind Resistant
No
Yes
Acid Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Rough and Dull
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing, Whetstones
Industry
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Types
Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Not Available
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Used
Fossils
Absent
Present
Formation
Formation
Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
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.
Composition
Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
Yes
No
Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering
Erosion
No
Yes
Types of Erosion
Not Available
Chemical Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
6
2-3
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Not Available
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
37.40 N/mm2
28
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Slaty
Toughness
2.3
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.56-2.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K
15
0.87 kJ/Kg K
14
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
South Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Iceland
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
All about Basalt and Argillite Properties
Know all about Basalt and Argillite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Basalt belongs to Igneous Rocks while Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular whereas that of Argillite is Clastic, Polished. Basalt appears Dull and Soft and Argillite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Basalt is not available while that of Argillite is waxy and dull. Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums and that of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends.
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