Travertine

Argillite

Travertine and Argillite

Travertine

Argillite

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Definition

Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters

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

Italy

Discoverer

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Unknown

Etymology

From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy

From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded

Clastic, Polished

Color

Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow

Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Fibrous

Rough and Dull

Uses

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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery

Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends

Types

Thermal Travertine and Tufa

Metamorphic rock

Features

Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock

Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Formation

Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.

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

Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz

Compound Content

Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen

Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-42-3

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Splintery

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull to Pearly

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

80.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

1.682.56-2.68

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.71 g/cm³2.54-2.66 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.09 kJ/Kg K0.87 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, Russia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom

Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia

All about Travertine and Argillite Properties

Know all about Travertine and Argillite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Travertine and Argillite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Travertine is Banded whereas that of Argillite is Clastic, Polished. Travertine appears Fibrous and Argillite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Travertine is dull to pearly while that of Argillite is waxy and dull. Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors whereas Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Travertine are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, paper industry, pottery and that of Argillite are fire resistant, used to manufracture paperweights and bookends.