Basalt

Slate

Basalt and Slate

Basalt

Slate

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth

Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Egypt

England

1.2.2 Discoverer

Georgius Agricola

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites

From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Volcanic

Not Applicable

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular

Foliated

2.2 Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Light to Dark Grey, Purple, Red, Shades of Blue

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Dull and Soft

Dull

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums

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

4 Types

4.1 Types

Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite

Not Available

4.2 Features

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

Easily splits into thin plates, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India

Data Not Available

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

4.3.5 Pictographs

Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 Formation

Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.

Slate is a low grade metamorphic rock that is generally formed by metamorphosis of mudstone or shale, under relatively low pressure and temperature conditions.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Graphite, Hematite, Kaolinite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Zircon

5.2.2 Compound Content

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

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Not Available

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

63-4

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

Splintery

6.1.4 Streak

White to Grey

Light to dark brown

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Not Available

Dull

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

37.40 N/mm²30.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Not Available

Slaty

6.1.9 Toughness

2.3

1.2

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.8-32.65-2.8

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.9-3.1 g/cm³2.6-2.8 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.76 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

India, Russia

China, India, Turkey

7.1.2 Africa

South Africa

Not Yet Found

7.1.3 Europe

Iceland

Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

Arctic

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

USA

7.2.2 South America

Brazil

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

Not Yet Found

All about Basalt and Slate Properties

Know all about Basalt and Slate properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Basalt belongs to Igneous Rocks while Slate belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular whereas that of Slate is Foliated. Basalt appears Dull and Soft and Slate appears Dull. The luster of Basalt is not available while that of Slate is dull. Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Slate is available in black, brown, buff, green, light to dark grey, purple, red, shades of blue colors. The commercial uses of Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums and that 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.