Hornfels

Argillite

Hornfels vs Argillite

Hornfels

Argillite

Add ⊕

Definition

Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock

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

New Zealand

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From German which means hornstone

From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular, Platy

Clastic, Polished

Color

Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown

Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull

Rough and Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, 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

Industry

Construction Industry

for Road Aggregate, Roadstone

Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

Types

Biotite hornfels

Metamorphic rock

Features

Smooth to touch

Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

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

Andalusite

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz

Compound Content

Fe, Mg

Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-32-3

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

White to Grey

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Shiny

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

5.80 N/mm²-

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

3.4-3.92.56-2.68

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

0.25-0.30 g/cm³2.54-2.66 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.87 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

United Kingdom

Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia

Hornfels vs Argillite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Hornfels and Argillite Reserves. Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock. 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. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Hornfels vs Argillite information and Hornfels vs Argillite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

Compare Metamorphic Rocks » More

Hornfels vs Suevite

Hornfels vs Skarn

Hornfels vs Serpentinite

» More Compare Metamorphic Rocks

Hornfels 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. Hornfels vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Hornfels and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Hornfels vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Hornfels and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Hornfels in construction industry include For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..

More about Hornfels and Argillite

Here you can know more about Hornfels and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Hornfels and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite 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 Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Hornfels vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Hornfels is Dull and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Hornfels vs Argillite. Hardness of Hornfels and Argillite is 2-3. The types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels 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 Hornfels is while that of Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Hornfels is 0.84 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.Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.