Know all about Slate and Oil shale properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Slate belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Oil shale belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Slate is Foliated whereas that of Oil shale is Splintery. Slate appears Dull and Oil shale appears Muddy. The luster of Slate and Oil shale is dull. Slate is available in black, brown, buff, green, light to dark grey, purple, red, shades of blue colors whereas Oil shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Slate are blackboards, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, standard material for the bed of billiard table, standard material for the beds of pool and snooker table, tombstones, used in aquariums, writing slates and that of Oil shale are an oil and gas reservoir.