Definition
A water-soluble mineral sediment resulting from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution
  
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
  
History
  
  
Origin
USA
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Usiglio
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From a sediment left after the evaporation
  
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
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
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
Colourless, Green, Grey, Silver, White
  
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
  
Muddy
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
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
  
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
  
Artifacts, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Used in the manufacture of Ceramic Powder, Used in the preparation of Sulfuric Acid and Silicon Diborite
  
Creating Artwork, Pottery
  
Types
Not Available
  
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
  
Features
Generally rough to touch, Splintery, Veined
  
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Jantar Mantar in India
  
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Present
  
Present
  
Formation
Evaporite is water-soluble mineral sediment which forms from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution.
  
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, Cancrinite, Gypsum, Kyanite, Magnetite
  
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
  
Compound Content
CaMg(CO3)2, CaO, Calcium Sulfate, KCl, MgO, NaCl
  
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
2-3
  
3
  
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Not Available
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Dull
  
Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2
  
7
95.00 N/mm2
  
20
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Slaty
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
2.6
  
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.99
  
2.2-2.8
  
Transparency
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
  
10
0.39 kJ/Kg K
  
23
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Not Available
  
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
Africa
Not Available
  
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
United Kingdom
  
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
USA
  
South America
Colombia, Paraguay
  
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
Evaporite vs Shale 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. Evaporite vs Shale characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Evaporite and Properties of Shale. Learn more about Evaporite vs Shale in the next section. The interior uses of Evaporite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Shale include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Evaporite and Shale, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Evaporite in construction industry include 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 and that of Shale include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Evaporite and Shale
Here you can know more about Evaporite and Shale. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Evaporite and Shale consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Evaporite includes Calcite, Cancrinite, Gypsum, Kyanite, Magnetite and mineral content of Shale includes Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Evaporite vs Shale, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Evaporite is available in colourless, green, grey, silver, white colors whereas, Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. Appearance of Evaporite is Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated and that of Shale is Muddy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Evaporite vs Shale. The hardness of Evaporite is 2-3 and that of Shale is 3. The types of Evaporite are Not Available whereas types of Shale are Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Evaporite and Shale is white. The specific heat capacity of Evaporite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Shale is 0.39 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Evaporite is heat resistant, pressure resistant whereas Shale is heat resistant, impact resistant.