Oil shale vs Coal

Oil shale vs Coal Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Oil shale and Coal Reserves. Oil Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock from which oil is extracted. Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Oil shale vs Coal information and Oil shale vs Coal characteristics in the upcoming sections.

Oil shale vs Coal 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. Oil shale vs Coal characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Oil shale and Properties of Coal. Learn more about Oil shale vs Coal in the next section. The interior uses of Oil shale include Not yet used whereas the interior uses of Coal include Not yet used. Due to some exceptional properties of Oil shale and Coal, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Oil shale in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Serves as an oil and gas reservoir rock and that of Coal include Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel production.

More about Oil shale and Coal

Here you can know more about Oil shale and Coal. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Oil shale and Coal consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Oil shale includes Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides and mineral content of Coal includes Analcime, Apatite, Barite, Calcite, Chalcopyrite, Chlorite, Chromite, Clausthalite, Clay Minerals, Crandallite Group, Dolomite, Feldspar, Galena, Gypsum, Marcasite, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Siderite, Sphalerite, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Oil shale vs Coal, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Oil shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors whereas, Coal is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Oil shale is Muddy and that of Coal is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Oil shale vs Coal. The hardness of Oil shale is 2-3 and that of Coal is 1-1.5. The types of Oil shale are Carbonate-rich Shale, Siliceous Shale and Cannel Shale whereas types of Coal are Peat, Lignite, Sub-Bituminous Coal, Bituminous Coal, Anthracite, Graphite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Oil shale is white while that of Coal is black. The specific heat capacity of Oil shale is 0.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Coal is 1.32 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Oil shale is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Coal is heat resistant.