Definition
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and 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
  
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
  
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
Plutonic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
  
Clastic, Polished
  
Color
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
  
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Rough and Dull
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
  
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing, Whetstones
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
  
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
  
Types
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
  
Not Available
  
Features
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Is one of the oldest rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Present
  
Formation
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
  
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
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
  
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
  
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
7
  
2-3
  
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Uneven
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
  
Waxy and Dull
  
Cleavage
Irregular
  
Slaty
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
2.6
  
Specific Gravity
3.2-3.5
  
2.56-2.68
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
  
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.87 kJ/Kg K
  
14
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
India, Russia
  
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
Africa
South Africa
  
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
  
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
  
Others
Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
USA
  
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
  
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
Pyroxenite vs Argillite 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. Pyroxenite vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pyroxenite and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Pyroxenite vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Pyroxenite and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Pyroxenite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Pyroxenite and Argillite
Here you can know more about Pyroxenite and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pyroxenite and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene and mineral content of Argillite includes Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Pyroxenite vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pyroxenite vs Argillite. The hardness of Pyroxenite is 7 and that of Argillite is 2-3. The types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites whereas types of Argillite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey while that of Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Pyroxenite is Not Available and that of Argillite is 0.87 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.