Dolomite and Shale

Dolomite

Shale

Shale and Dolomite

Definition

Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight

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

History

Origin

Southern Alps, France

Unknown

Discoverer

Dolomieu

Unknown

Etymology

From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock

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, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy

Clastic, Splintery

Color

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White

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

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Muddy

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Not Yet Used

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock

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

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Types

Boninite and Jasperoid

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

Features

Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits

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

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Jantar Mantar in India

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Present

Formation

Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.

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

Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides

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

Compound Content

NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO

Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Not Applicable

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Not Applicable

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-4

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Not Available

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous and Pearly

Dull

Compressive Strength

140.00 N/mm²

95.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Perfect

Slaty

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.8-3

2.2-2.8

Transparency

Transparent to Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

2.4-2.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.39 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Morocco, Namibia

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland

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

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Mexico, USA

USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula

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

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Dolomite and Shale Properties

Know all about Dolomite and Shale properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dolomite and Shale belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Dolomite is Earthy whereas that of Shale is Clastic, Splintery. Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly and Shale appears Muddy. The luster of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly while that of Shale is dull. Dolomite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Dolomite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Shale are creating artwork, pottery.