Definition
Oil Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock from which oil is extracted
  
A yellow sandstone which is flexible when cut into thin strips
  
History
  
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Old English scealu in its base sense of thing that divides or separate
  
From the name of a mountain range where it was found; Itacolumi mountain in Brazil
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Splintery
  
Clastic, Granular, Rough
  
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
  
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Muddy
  
Rough
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Not Yet Used
  
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
Not Yet Used
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock
  
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir
  
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
  
Types
Carbonate-rich Shale, Siliceous Shale and Cannel Shale
  
Not Available
  
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Present
  
Present
  
Formation
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.
  
Itacolumite is a sedimentary rock which forms from cemented sand-sized clasts and is a type of sandstone.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
  
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
  
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
2-3
  
6-7
  
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
  
Coarse or Fine
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Dull
  
Compressive Strength
Not Available
  
95.00 N/mm
2
  
20
Cleavage
Slaty
  
Perfect
  
Toughness
2.6
  
2.6
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
2.2-2.8
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
  
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.39 kJ/Kg K
  
23
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Israel, Jordan, Russia, Syria, Thailand, Turkey
  
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
  
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
  
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Others
Greenland, Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
All about Oil shale and Itacolumite Properties
Know all about Oil shale and Itacolumite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Oil shale and Itacolumite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Oil shale is Splintery whereas that of Itacolumite is Clastic, Granular, Rough. Oil shale appears Muddy and Itacolumite appears Rough. The luster of Oil shale and Itacolumite is dull. Oil shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors whereas Itacolumite is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Oil shale are an oil and gas reservoir and that of Itacolumite are an oil and gas reservoir, in aquifers, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones.