Mudstone

Variolite

Mudstone and Variolite

Mudstone

Variolite

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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

Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance

History

Origin

France

Discoverer

William Smith

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Latin varius, speckled, variegated

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular

Color

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

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Dull

Dull and Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration

Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

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

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Marl, Shale and Argillite

Metamorphic rock

Features

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

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

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.

Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

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

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

2-36

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Compressive Strength

25.00 N/mm²37.50 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

2.6

2.3

Specific Gravity

2.2-2.82.8-3

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.4-2.8 g/cm³2.9-3.1 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.39 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

India, Russia

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

South Africa

Europe

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

Iceland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

All about Mudstone and Variolite Properties

Know all about Mudstone and Variolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Mudstone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Variolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Mudstone is Clastic whereas that of Variolite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Mudstone appears Rough and Dull and Variolite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Mudstone is dull while that of Variolite is . Mudstone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors whereas Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Mudstone are creating artwork, pottery and that of Variolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.