Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
  
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
  
History
  
  
Origin
North America
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
  
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
  
Clastic
  
Color
Grey, White, Light Black
  
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Appearance
Banded
  
Rough and Dull
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Roof Tiles
  
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
  
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
  
Creating Artwork, Pottery
  
Types
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
  
Marl, Shale and Argillite
  
Features
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
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
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.
  
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.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
  
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
  
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
  
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
2-3
  
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
  
Not Available
  
Streak
Colorless
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Earthy
  
Dull
  
Compressive Strength
140.00 N/mm
2
  
15
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Perfect
  
Toughness
2
  
2.6
  
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67
  
2.2-2.8
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
  
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.39 kJ/Kg K
  
23
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India
  
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
  
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
USA
  
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
Rhyolite vs Mudstone 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. Rhyolite vs Mudstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Rhyolite and Properties of Mudstone. Learn more about Rhyolite vs Mudstone in the next section. The interior uses of Rhyolite include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Mudstone include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Rhyolite and Mudstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Rhyolite in construction industry include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Knives and that of Mudstone include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Rhyolite and Mudstone
Here you can know more about Rhyolite and Mudstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Rhyolite and Mudstone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Rhyolite includes Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Mudstone 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 Rhyolite vs Mudstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors whereas, Mudstone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Rhyolite is Banded and that of Mudstone is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Rhyolite vs Mudstone. The hardness of Rhyolite is 6-7 and that of Mudstone is 2-3. The types of Rhyolite are Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks. whereas types of Mudstone are Marl, Shale and Argillite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Rhyolite is colorless while that of Mudstone is white. The specific heat capacity of Rhyolite is Not Available and that of Mudstone is 0.39 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Rhyolite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Mudstone is heat resistant, impact resistant.