Definition
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.
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
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From English word serpentinization.
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Clastic, Polished
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Types
Jadeitite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
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.
Mineral Content
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.79-3
2.56-2.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.5-3 g/cm3
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Colombia
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Serpentinite 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. Serpentinite vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Serpentinite and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Serpentinite vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Serpentinite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Serpentinite and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Serpentinite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Serpentinite and Argillite
Here you can know more about Serpentinite and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Serpentinite and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Serpentinite includes Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides 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 Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Serpentinite vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Serpentinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Serpentinite is Rough and Dull and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Serpentinite vs Argillite. The hardness of Serpentinite is 3-5 and that of Argillite is 2-3. The types of Serpentinite are Jadeitite 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 Serpentinite is white, greenish white or grey while that of Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Serpentinite is 0.95 kJ/Kg K 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.Serpentinite is heat resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.