Coal and Shale Definition

Definition of Coal and Shale

The general Coal and Shale definition can be stated as: Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds. 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 Coal and Shale, get to know about Properties of Coal and Shale. Get to know more information about Coal and Shale origin and discoverer, etymology and class.

History of Coal and Shale

The history of Coal 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.

Coal and Shale Origin and Discoverer

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

Etymology of Coal and Shale

Along with Coal and Shale definition, know more about the etymology of Coal and Shale. Etymology of Coal and Shale gives information about origin and formation of a particular rock. Know more about Formation of Coal and Formation of Shale. The etymology of Coal is From the Old English term col, which has meant mineral of fossilized carbon since the 13th century while that of Shale is From the Old English term col, which has meant mineral of fossilized carbon since the 13th century. The process of formation of rocks defines the class of rock. All the rocks in a class are formed by similar processes. Coal and Shale belong to Sedimentary Rocks. The sub-class, group and other categories of Coal and Shale are listed below.

For Coal,

• Sub-class: Durable Rock and Soft Rock
• Group: Not applicable
• Other Categories: Coarse grained rock, Fine grained rock, Medium 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