Definition
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
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
Discoverer
Unknown
Abraham Gottlob Werner
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 Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Light to Dark Grey, Purple, Red, Shades of Blue
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Shiny and Rounded
Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones
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
Types
Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate
Phyllite, Schist, and Slate
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Easily splits into thin plates, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
Slate is a low grade metamorphic rock that is generally formed by metamorphosis of mudstone or shale, under relatively low pressure and temperature conditions.
Mineral Content
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Graphite, Hematite, Kaolinite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Zircon
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Uneven
Splintery
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.88
2.65-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
China, India, Turkey
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
-
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
-
Conglomerate vs Slate Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Conglomerate vs Slate characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Conglomerate and Properties of Slate. Learn more about Conglomerate vs Slate in the next section. The interior uses of Conglomerate include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Homes whereas the interior uses of Slate include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Conglomerate and Slate, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Conglomerate in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Slate include As dimension stone.
More about Conglomerate and Slate
Here you can know more about Conglomerate and Slate. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Conglomerate and Slate consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Conglomerate includes Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt and mineral content of Slate includes Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Graphite, Hematite, Kaolinite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Conglomerate vs Slate, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, rust, white, yellow colors whereas, Slate is available in black, brown, buff, green, light to dark grey, purple, red, shades of blue colors. Appearance of Conglomerate is Shiny and Rounded and that of Slate is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Conglomerate vs Slate. The hardness of Conglomerate is 2-3 and that of Slate is 3-4. The types of Conglomerate are Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate whereas types of Slate are Phyllite, Schist, and Slate. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Conglomerate is white while that of Slate is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Conglomerate is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Slate is 0.76 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Conglomerate is heat resistant whereas Slate is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.