Kimberlite

Argillite

Kimberlite and Argillite

Kimberlite

Argillite

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Definition

Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.

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

Kimberley, South Africa

Discoverer

John W. Judd

Unknown

Etymology

From Kimberley +‎ -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.

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

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Porphyritic

Clastic, Polished

Color

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey

Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull and Banded

Rough and Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Curbing, Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

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

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

Types

Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites

Metamorphic rock

Features

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Kimberlite is an igneous rock and is the main source of diamonds. Its formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface between 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.

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

Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene

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

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

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

Chemical Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-72-3

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine to Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

260.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Conchoidal

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.86-2.872.56-2.68

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.95-2.96 g/cm³2.54-2.66 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.87 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Russia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom

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

Others

Antarctica

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia

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

All about Kimberlite and Argillite Properties

Know all about Kimberlite and Argillite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Kimberlite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Kimberlite is Porphyritic whereas that of Argillite is Clastic, Polished. Kimberlite appears Dull and Banded and Argillite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Kimberlite is subvitreous to dull while that of Argillite is waxy and dull. Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors whereas Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Kimberlite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends.