Definition
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
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 German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Vitreous
Clastic, Polished
Color
Black, Dark Brown
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, 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
Construction Industry
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, NA
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
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Tachylite 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.
Mineral Content
Feldspar, Olivine
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Fe, Mg
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
Vermilion
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Resinous
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Slaty
Toughness
Not Available
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.4
2.56-2.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.058 g/cm3
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
East Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Hawaii Islands
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Not Yet Found
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Victoria
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Tachylite 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. Tachylite vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Tachylite and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Tachylite vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Tachylite 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 Tachylite and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Tachylite in construction industry include Cutting tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Tachylite and Argillite
Here you can know more about Tachylite and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Tachylite and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Tachylite includes Feldspar, Olivine 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 Tachylite vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Tachylite is available in black, dark brown colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Tachylite is Glassy and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Tachylite vs Argillite. The hardness of Tachylite is 5.5 and that of Argillite is 2-3. The types of Tachylite are Not Available 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 Tachylite is vermilion while that of Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Tachylite is 0.56 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.Tachylite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.