Picrite

Argillite

Picrite and Argillite

Picrite

Argillite

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Definition

Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine

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

Hawaii Islands

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century

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

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Rough

Clastic, Polished

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, 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 Shiny

Rough and Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Curbing, Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Roadstone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

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

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

Types

Oceanite

Metamorphic rock

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Picrite 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.

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, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite

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

Compound Content

Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.82-3

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Uneven

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

White, Greenish White or Grey

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

189.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.1

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.75-2.922.56-2.68

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

1.5-2.5 g/cm³2.54-2.66 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K0.87 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

South Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Iceland

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

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Brazil

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

All about Picrite and Argillite Properties

Know all about Picrite and Argillite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Picrite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Argillite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Picrite is Earthy, Rough whereas that of Argillite is Clastic, Polished. Picrite appears Rough and Shiny and Argillite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Picrite is subvitreous to dull while that of Argillite is waxy and dull. Picrite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors whereas Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Picrite are as a feed additive for livestock, as armour rock for sea walls, metallurgical flux, pottery, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends.