Diatomite

Shale

Diatomite and Shale

Diatomite

Shale

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Definition

Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth

Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles

History

Origin

Germany

Discoverer

Unknown

Johann Gottlob Lehmann

Etymology

From diatom + -ite1

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

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Clastic, Splintery

Color

Grey, White, Yellow

Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Non-Durable

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Soft

Muddy

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium

Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Types

Diatomite

Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock

Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Jantar Mantar in India

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Formation

Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.

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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand

Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides

Compound Content

Ca, NaCl, CaO

Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1 7

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Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull

Compressive Strength

-95.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.3-2.42.2-2.8

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.49-2.51 g/cm³2.4-2.8 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.90 kJ/Kg K0.39 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

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Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom

Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Colombia

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia

All about Diatomite and Shale Properties

Know all about Diatomite and Shale properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diatomite and Shale belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Diatomite is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Shale is Clastic, Splintery. Diatomite appears Soft and Shale appears Muddy. The luster of Diatomite and Shale is dull. Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors whereas Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Diatomite are alumina refineries, animal feed filler, as a feed additive for livestock, creating artwork, drawing on blackboards, fire resistant, gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, in aquifers, soil conditioner, to ignite fire, used as a filter medium, used as an insecticide, whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper and that of Shale are creating artwork, pottery.