Basalt and Shale Definition

Definition of Basalt and Shale

The general Basalt and Shale definition can be stated as: Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth. On the other hand, Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles. Along with definition of Basalt and Shale, get to know about Properties of Basalt and Shale. Get to know more information about Basalt and Shale origin and discoverer, etymology and class.

History of Basalt and Shale

The history of Basalt and Shale gives information about where the rock was found and who was its discoverer. Almost each and every aspect of Earth's history is recorded in rocks be it the volcanoes which were erupted or the plants, animals and organisms which are now extinct, as rocks are present from millions of years.

Basalt and Shale Origin and Discoverer

Basalt and Shale definition gives us a brief idea about the two rocks. In some cases, the definition also gives summary about the Formation of Basalt and Shale. In this section, you will know about Basalt and Shale Origin and Discoverer. Origin of Basalt is Egypt whereas Origin of Shale is Unknown. It is interesting to know the name of Basalt and Shale discoverer. The Discoverer of Basalt is Georgius Agricola and the discoverer of Shale is Unknown.

Etymology of Basalt and Shale

Along with Basalt and Shale definition, know more about the etymology of Basalt and Shale. Etymology of Basalt and Shale gives information about origin and formation of a particular rock. Know more about Formation of Basalt and Formation of Shale. The etymology of Basalt is From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites while that of Shale is From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites. The process of formation of rocks defines the class of rock. All the rocks in a class are formed by similar processes. Basalt belongs to Igneous Rocks while Shale belongs to Sedimentary Rocks. The sub-class, group and other categories of Basalt and Shale are listed below.

For Basalt,

• Sub-class: Durable Rock and Medium Hardness Rock
• Group: Volcanic
• Other Categories: Fine grained rock and Opaque rock

For Shale,

• Sub-class: Durable Rock and Medium Hardness Rock
• Group: Not applicable
• Other Categories: Fine grained rock and Opaque rock