Mudstone

Argillite

Mudstone and Argillite

Mudstone

Argillite

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Definition

Mudstone is a fine-grained, dark gray sedimentary rock, which is formed from silt and clay and is similar to shale but has less laminations

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

Discoverer

William Smith

Unknown

Etymology

From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz

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

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic

Clastic, Polished

Color

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow

Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Roof Tiles

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Curbing, Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

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

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

Types

Marl, Shale and Argillite

Metamorphic rock

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock

Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Formation

Mudstone forms when very fine-grained clay particles are deposited in water which settle at the bottom of water bodies. They are buried and compacted by overlying sediment hence forming mudstone.

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

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

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-32-3

1 7

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Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

25.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Perfect

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.2-2.82.56-2.68

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.4-2.8 g/cm³2.54-2.66 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.39 kJ/Kg K0.87 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

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

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

All about Mudstone and Argillite Properties

Know all about Mudstone and Argillite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Mudstone and Argillite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Mudstone is Clastic whereas that of Argillite is Clastic, Polished. Mudstone appears Rough and Dull and Argillite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Mudstone is dull while that of Argillite is waxy and dull. Mudstone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors whereas Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Mudstone are creating artwork, pottery and that of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends.