Definition
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
Oil Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock from which oil is extracted
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck
From Old English scealu in its base sense of thing that divides or separate
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Rough
Splintery
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Muddy
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Not Yet Used
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Not Yet Used
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
An Oil and Gas Reservoir
Types
Not Available
Carbonate-rich Shale, Siliceous Shale and Cannel Shale
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.
Oil Shale forms on the beds of seas and lakes and its formation starts with the organic debris settling and accumulating at the bottom of a lake or sea which are then transformed into rock with the help of high temperature and pressure.
Mineral Content
Silicon
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Not Available
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Slaty
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
Bangladesh, China, India, Israel, Jordan, Russia, Syria, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Not Yet Found
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
All about Flint and Oil shale Properties
Know all about Flint and Oil shale properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Flint and Oil shale belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Flint is Banded, Rough whereas that of Oil shale is Splintery. Flint appears Glassy or Pearly and Oil shale appears Muddy. The luster of Flint is vitreous while that of Oil shale is dull. Flint is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Oil shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Flint are creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms and that of Oil shale are an oil and gas reservoir.