Definition
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
-
Discoverer
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin Argilla (clay) and -ite in English which became agrilla+ -ite = Argillite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Family
Group
-
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Polished
Color
Dark Grey to Black, Pink, Red, White
Maintenance
Less
Durability
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
58% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
61% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
42% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
36% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
19% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Industry
Construction Industry
Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Fire resistant, Used to manufracture paperweights and bookends
Types
Metamorphic rock
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
Famous Monuments
-
Sculpture
-
Famous Sculptures
-
Pictographs
-
Petroglyphs
-
Figurines
-
Fossils
Present
Formation
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
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
17% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Types of Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
78% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
86% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
2-3
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
-
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Slaty
Toughness
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.56-2.68
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Density
2.54-2.66 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.87 kJ/Kg K
Rank: 14 (Overall)
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia