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
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
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated
Clastic, Polished
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Rough and Dull
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
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Types
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
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. 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.
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
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Fibrous
Conchoidal to Uneven
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Earthy
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.7
2.56-2.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0-300 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, China, India, Russia
Africa
Western Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
United Kingdom
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
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