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
  
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
  
History
  
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz
  
From Pelos or clay in Greek
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic
  
Foliated
  
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
  
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough and Dull
  
Banded
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Roof Tiles
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
  
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
  
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
  
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Marl, Shale and Argillite
  
Not Available
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest 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
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
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.
  
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.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
  
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
2-3
  
5-6
  
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Fibrous
  
Streak
White
  
Unknown
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Earthy
  
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
2.6
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
3.4-3.7
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
  
0-300 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.39 kJ/Kg K
  
23
0.72 kJ/Kg K
  
20
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
Not Yet Found
  
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Western Africa
  
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
  
United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
Not Available
  
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
Central Australia, Western Australia
  
Mudstone vs Metapelite 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 Metapelite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Mudstone and Properties of Metapelite. Learn more about Mudstone vs Metapelite in the next section. The interior uses of Mudstone include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Metapelite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Mudstone and Metapelite, 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 Metapelite include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Mudstone and Metapelite
Here you can know more about Mudstone and Metapelite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Mudstone and Metapelite 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 Metapelite includes Albite, Chlorite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Mudstone vs Metapelite, 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, Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Mudstone is Rough and Dull and that of Metapelite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Mudstone vs Metapelite. The hardness of Mudstone is 2-3 and that of Metapelite is 5-6. The types of Mudstone are Marl, Shale and Argillite whereas types of Metapelite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Mudstone is white while that of Metapelite is unknown. The specific heat capacity of Mudstone is 0.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Metapelite is 0.72 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 Metapelite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.