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
Felsite is a very fine grained volcanic rock that may or may not contain larger crystals and light colored rock that typically requires petrographic examination or chemical analysis for more precise definition
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz
From English feldspar and -ite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Roof Tiles
Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Surgery
Antiquity Uses
Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Mirror, Jewelry
Types
Marl, Shale and Argillite
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, Splintery, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
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.
Felsite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Feldspar, Iron Oxides
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
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Non-Existent
Toughness
2.6
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Kenya
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
New Zealand
Mudstone vs Felsite 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 Felsite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Mudstone and Properties of Felsite. Learn more about Mudstone vs Felsite in the next section. The interior uses of Mudstone include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Felsite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Mudstone and Felsite, 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 Felsite include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points.
More about Mudstone and Felsite
Here you can know more about Mudstone and Felsite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Mudstone and Felsite 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 Felsite includes Feldspar, Iron Oxides. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Mudstone vs Felsite, 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, Felsite is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. Appearance of Mudstone is Rough and Dull and that of Felsite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Mudstone vs Felsite. The hardness of Mudstone is 2-3 and that of Felsite is 5-5.5. The types of Mudstone are Marl, Shale and Argillite whereas types of Felsite 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 Felsite is white. The specific heat capacity of Mudstone is 0.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Felsite 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 Felsite is heat resistant, impact resistant.