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
  
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
Italy
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz
  
From Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic
  
Clastic
  
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
  
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough and Dull
  
Shiny and Rounded
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Roof Tiles
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
  
Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones
  
Types
Marl, Shale and Argillite
  
Not Available
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Present
  
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.
  
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
  
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
NaCl, CaO
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Not Applicable
  
Erosion
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
2-3
  
2-3
  
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
  
Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Dull
  
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
2.6
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
2.86-2.88
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
  
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.39 kJ/Kg K
  
23
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Heat Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
  
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
  
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
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
  
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
Mudstone vs Conglomerate Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Mudstone vs Conglomerate characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Mudstone and Properties of Conglomerate. Learn more about Mudstone vs Conglomerate in the next section. The interior uses of Mudstone include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Conglomerate include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Mudstone and Conglomerate, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Mudstone in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Conglomerate include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Mudstone and Conglomerate
Here you can know more about Mudstone and Conglomerate. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Mudstone and Conglomerate consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Mudstone includes Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz and mineral content of Conglomerate includes Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Mudstone vs Conglomerate, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Mudstone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors whereas, Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, rust, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Mudstone is Rough and Dull and that of Conglomerate is Shiny and Rounded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Mudstone vs Conglomerate. Hardness of Mudstone and Conglomerate is 2-3. The types of Mudstone are Marl, Shale and Argillite whereas types of Conglomerate are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Mudstone and Conglomerate is white. The specific heat capacity of Mudstone is 0.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Conglomerate is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Mudstone is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Conglomerate is heat resistant.