Amphibolite and Shale

Amphibolite

Shale

Shale and Amphibolite

Definition

Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase

Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles

History

Discoverer

Alexandre Brongniart

Unknown

Etymology

From Amphibole + -ite

From German Schalstein laminated limestone, and Schalgebirge layer of stone in stratified rock. From Old English scealu in its base sense of- thing that divides or separate,

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Foliated, Massive

Clastic, Splintery

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey

Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Foliated

Muddy

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone

Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Types

Hornblendite

Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny

Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Jantar Mantar in India

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.

Shale forms when very fine-grained clay particles are deposited in water which settle at the bottom of water bodies. They are later compacted hence forming shale.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite

Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Transformation

Metamorphism

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Irregular to Conchoidal

Not Available

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Dull

Dull

Compressive Strength

Not Available

95.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Irregular

Slaty

Toughness

2.3

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.5

2.2-2.8

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.85-3.07 g/cm³

2.4-2.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

0.39 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Russia, Turkey

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland

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

Others

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

South Australia, Western Australia

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

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Amphibolite and Shale Properties

Know all about Amphibolite and Shale properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Shale belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive whereas that of Shale is Clastic, Splintery. Amphibolite appears Foliated and Shale appears Muddy. The luster of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull while that of Shale is dull. Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors whereas Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Shale are creating artwork, pottery.