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
Mugearite is a type of oligoclase bearing basalt, also comprising of olivine, apatite, and opaque oxides
Discoverer
Unknown
Alfred Harker
Etymology
From Pelos or clay in Greek
From mugear + -ite
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork
Types
Metamorphic rock
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained 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.
Mugearite forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
Mineral Content
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
-
Fracture
Fibrous
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.7
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0-300 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Western Africa
South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Iceland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
-
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
-
All about Metapelite and Mugearite Properties
Know all about Metapelite and Mugearite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Metapelite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Mugearite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Metapelite is Foliated whereas that of Mugearite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Metapelite appears Banded and Mugearite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Metapelite is earthy while that of Mugearite is . Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors whereas Mugearite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Metapelite and Mugearite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork.