Definition
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
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 Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Rough
Clastic, Polished
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.
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
Silicon
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Slaty
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.56-2.68
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Not Yet Found
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Bolivia
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Flint 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. Flint vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Flint and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Flint vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Flint include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Flint and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Flint in construction industry include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Spear points and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Flint and Argillite
Here you can know more about Flint and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Flint and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Flint includes Silicon 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 Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Flint vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Flint is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Flint is Glassy or Pearly and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Flint vs Argillite. The hardness of Flint is 7 and that of Argillite is 2-3. The types of Flint 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 Flint is white while that of Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Flint is 0.74 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.Flint is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.