Definition
Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture
  
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
Tonale, Italy
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1
  
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, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Phaneritic
  
Clastic, Polished
  
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
  
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
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
  
Rough and Dull
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing, Whetstones
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, 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, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
  
Types
Dacite
  
Not Available
  
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.
  
Is one of the oldest rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Present
  
Formation
When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.
  
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
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
  
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
  
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
  
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal 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
Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
2-3
  
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
Bluish Black
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Very Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Waxy and Dull
  
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Slaty
  
Toughness
2.1
  
2.6
  
Specific Gravity
2.86-3
  
2.56-2.68
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.73 g/cm3
  
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
0.87 kJ/Kg K
  
14
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Not Yet Found
  
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
Africa
Egypt
  
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey
  
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
USA
  
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
  
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
Tonalite 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. Tonalite vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Tonalite and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Tonalite vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Tonalite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Tonalite and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Tonalite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Tonalite and Argillite
Here you can know more about Tonalite and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Tonalite and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Tonalite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon 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 Tonalite vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Tonalite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Tonalite is Banded and Foilated and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Tonalite vs Argillite. The hardness of Tonalite is 6-7 and that of Argillite is 2-3. The types of Tonalite are Dacite 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 Tonalite is bluish black while that of Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Tonalite is 0.92 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.Tonalite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.