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
Discoverer
Unknown
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
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
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
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull
Rough and Dull
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
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
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
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.
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
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Shiny
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.9
2.56-2.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0.25-0.30 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, 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
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 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.