Definition
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
  
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
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
  
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
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
  
Clastic, Polished
  
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, 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
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Banded
  
Rough and Dull
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, 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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
  
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
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, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
  
Is one of the oldest rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Present
  
Formation
Trachyte is an igneous volcanic rock with an aphanitic to porphyritic texture. It is the volcanic equivalent of syenite rock and forms as a result of magmatic differentiation.
  
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
Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz
  
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
  
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6
  
2-3
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White to Grey
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Metallic
  
Waxy and Dull
  
Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm
2
  
14
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Slaty
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
2.6
  
Specific Gravity
2.7
  
2.56-2.68
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
  
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.87 kJ/Kg K
  
14
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
  
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
  
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
Brazil, Chile
  
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
Trachyte 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. Trachyte vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Trachyte and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Trachyte vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Trachyte include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Argillite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Trachyte and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Trachyte in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Trachyte and Argillite
Here you can know more about Trachyte and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Trachyte and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Trachyte includes Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz 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 Trachyte vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Trachyte is available in black, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey, light to dark grey, white colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Trachyte is Banded and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Trachyte vs Argillite. The hardness of Trachyte is 6 and that of Argillite is 2-3. The types of Trachyte 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 Trachyte is white while that of Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Trachyte 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.Trachyte is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.