Definition
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball
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
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Clastic, Splintery
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Shiny and Rounded
Muddy
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Types
Not Available
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Jantar Mantar in India
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
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.
Mineral Content
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Uneven
Not Available
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Slaty
Toughness
Not Available
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.88
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Greenland
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
New South Wales, New Zealand
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
All about Conglomerate and Shale Properties
Know all about Conglomerate and Shale properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Conglomerate and Shale belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Conglomerate is Clastic whereas that of Shale is Clastic, Splintery. Conglomerate appears Shiny and Rounded and Shale appears Muddy. The luster of Conglomerate and Shale is dull. Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, rust, white, yellow colors whereas Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Conglomerate are cemetery markers, in aquifers, tombstones and that of Shale are creating artwork, pottery.