Definition
Blue Granite is an igneous rock and a variety of Larvikite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized blue crystals of feldspar
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
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the color of rock, Blue
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
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Clastic, Polished
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Shiny
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Types
Granite
Metamorphic rock
Features
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Blue Granite is an igneous rock which is a variety of Larvikite and is known mainly for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar.
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.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
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
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
-
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.56-2.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-2.91 g/cm3
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
-
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Blue Granite vs Argillite 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. Blue Granite vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Blue Granite and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Blue Granite vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Blue Granite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Blue Granite and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Blue Granite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Blue Granite and Argillite
Here you can know more about Blue Granite and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Blue Granite and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Blue Granite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon and mineral content of Argillite includes Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Blue Granite vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Blue Granite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Blue Granite is Shiny and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Blue Granite vs Argillite. The hardness of Blue Granite is 6-7 and that of Argillite is 2-3. The types of Blue Granite are Granite whereas types of Argillite are Metamorphic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Blue Granite is white while that of Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Blue Granite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Blue Granite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.