Definition
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
  
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
USA
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Edgar Bailey
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
  
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Foliated
  
Clastic, Polished
  
Color
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
  
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Dull and Banded
  
Rough and Dull
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
  
Curbing, Whetstones
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, 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, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
  
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
  
Types
Not Available
  
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
Data Not Available
  
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
Blueschist forms due to the metamorphism of basalt and other rocks with similar composition at high pressures and low temperatures and approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 500 °C.
  
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
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
  
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
No
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
3.5-4
  
2-3
  
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
White to Grey
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Waxy and Dull
  
Cleavage
Slaty
  
Slaty
  
Toughness
1.5
  
2.6
  
Specific Gravity
3-3.2
  
2.56-2.68
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
  
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.87 kJ/Kg K
  
14
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Japan, Turkey
  
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
  
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
France, Greece, Iceland
  
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
USA
  
South America
Not Yet Found
  
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
Blueschist 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. Blueschist vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Blueschist and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Blueschist vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Blueschist include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Blueschist and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Blueschist in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Blueschist and Argillite
Here you can know more about Blueschist and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Blueschist and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Blueschist includes Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz 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 Blueschist vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Blueschist is Dull and Banded and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Blueschist vs Argillite. The hardness of Blueschist is 3.5-4 and that of Argillite is 2-3. The types of Blueschist are Not Available whereas types of Argillite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Blueschist and Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Blueschist is Not Available 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.Blueschist is impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.