Nephelinite and Shale

Nephelinite

Shale

Definition

Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).

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

History

Origin

Brazil

Unknown

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē

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

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic

Clastic, Splintery

Color

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White

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

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Skeletal

Muddy

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

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

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

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Types

Peralkaline Nephelinite

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

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Jantar Mantar in India

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Nephelinite 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase

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

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO

Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.5

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Flat

Not Available

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Metallic

Dull

Compressive Strength

35.00 N/mm²

95.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Imperfect

Slaty

Toughness

2.7

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.4-2.9

2.2-2.8

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.5-3 g/cm³

2.4-2.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.39 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Japan

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Rwanda, Tanzania

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Not Yet Found

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

Others

Hawaii Islands

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Colombia

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 Nephelinite and Shale Properties

Know all about Nephelinite and Shale properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Nephelinite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Shale belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Nephelinite is Aphanitic whereas that of Shale is Clastic, Splintery. Nephelinite appears Skeletal and Shale appears Muddy. The luster of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic while that of Shale is dull. Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Shale are creating artwork, pottery.