Granite and Shale

Granite

Shale

Definition

Granite is a very hard, granular, crystalline igneous rock which consists mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar and is often used as building stone

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

History

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Italian granito, which means grained rock, from grano grain, and from Latin granum

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

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular, Phaneritic

Clastic, Splintery

Color

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

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

Maintenance

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Veined or Pebbled

Muddy

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts

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, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones, Used in aquariums

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Types

Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite, Hybrid Granite, Granodiorite and Alkali Feldspar Granite

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

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock

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

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Agia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Blue Domed Church in Santorini, Greece, Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in London, UK, Ephesus in Turkey, Georgia Guidestones in Georgia, US, Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Khajuraho Temples, India, Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, India, Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India, Signers Monument in Augusta, Georgia, Statue of Liberty in New York, USA, Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Tower Bridge in London, Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, US, Washington Monument, US

Jantar Mantar in India

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Avukana Buddha Statue in Sri Lanka, Lincoln Memorial in America, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, US, The Colossal Red Granite Statue of Amenhotep III in Karnak, Egypt

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Granite is an intrusive igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks

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

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

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

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Not Available

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous

Dull

Compressive Strength

175.00 N/mm²

95.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Not Available

Slaty

Toughness

Not Available

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.7

2.2-2.8

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.65-2.75 g/cm³

2.4-2.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.79 kJ/Kg K

0.39 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela

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

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Not Yet Found

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

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

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Granite and Shale Properties

Know all about Granite and Shale properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Shale belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Granite is Granular, Phaneritic whereas that of Shale is Clastic, Splintery. Granite appears Veined or Pebbled and Shale appears Muddy. The luster of Granite is dull to grainy with sporadic parts pearly and vitreous while that of Shale is dull. Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Granite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Shale are creating artwork, pottery.