Definition
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
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
Alois Wehrle
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
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
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded
Clastic, Polished
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Banded
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
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
NA
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
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
Wehrlite 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
Pyroxene
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Metallic
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
8.4
2.56-2.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Wehrlite 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. Wehrlite vs Argillite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Wehrlite and Properties of Argillite. Learn more about Wehrlite vs Argillite in the next section. The interior uses of Wehrlite 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 Wehrlite and Argillite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Wehrlite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones and that of Argillite include Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Wehrlite and Argillite
Here you can know more about Wehrlite and Argillite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Wehrlite and Argillite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Wehrlite includes Pyroxene 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 Wehrlite vs Argillite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors whereas, Argillite is available in dark grey to black, pink, red, white colors. Appearance of Wehrlite is Rough and Banded and that of Argillite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Wehrlite vs Argillite. The hardness of Wehrlite is 5.5-6 and that of Argillite is 2-3. The types of Wehrlite 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 Wehrlite is white while that of Argillite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Wehrlite is 0.63 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.Wehrlite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Argillite is heat resistant, impact resistant.