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Metapelite and Argillite


Argillite and Metapelite


Definition

Definition
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone   
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
  
  

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Pelos or clay in Greek   
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
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Foliated   
Clastic, Polished   

Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey   
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Banded   
Rough and Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone   
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing, Whetstones   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock   
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
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

Formation

Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite 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
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz   
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO   
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
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5-6   
2-3   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Fibrous   
Conchoidal to Uneven   

Streak
Unknown   
White to Grey   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Earthy   
Waxy and Dull   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Slaty   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.6   

Specific Gravity
3.4-3.7   
2.56-2.68   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
0-300 g/cm3   
2.54-2.66 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.72 kJ/Kg K   
20
0.87 kJ/Kg K   
14

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Not Yet Found   
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia   

Africa
Western Africa   
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania   

Europe
United Kingdom   
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Not Available   
USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador   
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Metapelite and Argillite Properties

Know all about Metapelite and Argillite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Metapelite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Metapelite is Foliated whereas that of Argillite is Clastic, Polished. Metapelite appears Banded and Argillite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Metapelite is earthy while that of Argillite is waxy and dull. Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors whereas Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Metapelite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends.

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