Definition
Lherzolite is a type of ultramafic igneous rock which contains essential olivine and clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene in equal proportions
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Lherz Massif, an alpine peridotite complex, at Étang de Lers, near Massat in the French Pyrenees; Lherz is the archaic spelling of this location
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
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Grenue
Clastic, Splintery
Color
Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Pink, Purple
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Muddy
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Landscaping, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
As armour rock for sea walls, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Used in aquariums
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Types
Garnet Lherzolite
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
Features
Host Rock for Lead
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
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Formation
Lherzolite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive 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.
Mineral Content
Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Compound Content
CaO, Cr, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Not Available
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 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
Russia, South Korea
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Western Africa
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
South America
Not Yet Found
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Lherzolite 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. Lherzolite vs Shale characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Lherzolite and Properties of Shale. Learn more about Lherzolite vs Shale in the next section. The interior uses of Lherzolite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Shale include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Lherzolite and Shale, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Lherzolite in construction industry include Landscaping, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills. and that of Shale include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Lherzolite and Shale
Here you can know more about Lherzolite and Shale. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Lherzolite and Shale consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Lherzolite includes Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite 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 Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Lherzolite vs Shale, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Lherzolite is available in black, dark greenish - grey, green, pink, purple colors whereas, Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. Appearance of Lherzolite is Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated and that of Shale is Muddy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Lherzolite vs Shale. The hardness of Lherzolite is 6.5 and that of Shale is 3. The types of Lherzolite are Garnet Lherzolite 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 Lherzolite and Shale is white. The specific heat capacity of Lherzolite is 0.95 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.Lherzolite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Shale is heat resistant, impact resistant.