Definition
Oil Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock from which oil is extracted
  
Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
Germany
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Old English scealu in its base sense of thing that divides or separate
  
From diatom + -ite1
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Splintery
  
Clastic or Non-Clastic
  
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
  
Grey, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Non-Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Muddy
  
Soft
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Not Yet Used
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
Not Yet Used
  
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
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
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir
  
Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
  
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
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet 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.
  
Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
  
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
  
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
  
Ca, NaCl, CaO
  
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, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
2-3
  
1
  
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Dull
  
Cleavage
Slaty
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
2.6
  
1
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
2.3-2.4
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
  
2.49-2.51 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.39 kJ/Kg K
  
23
0.90 kJ/Kg K
  
12
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Heat Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Israel, Jordan, Russia, Syria, Thailand, Turkey
  
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
  
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
  
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
  
Others
Greenland, Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Colombia
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
  
Oil shale vs Diatomite 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 Diatomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Oil shale and Properties of Diatomite. Learn more about Oil shale vs Diatomite in the next section. The interior uses of Oil shale include Not yet used whereas the interior uses of Diatomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Oil shale and Diatomite, 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 Diatomite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium.
More about Oil shale and Diatomite
Here you can know more about Oil shale and Diatomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Oil shale and Diatomite 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 Diatomite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Oil shale vs Diatomite, 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, Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Oil shale is Muddy and that of Diatomite is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Oil shale vs Diatomite. The hardness of Oil shale is 2-3 and that of Diatomite is 1. The types of Oil shale are Carbonate-rich Shale, Siliceous Shale and Cannel Shale whereas types of Diatomite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Oil shale and Diatomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Oil shale is 0.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Diatomite is 0.90 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 Diatomite is heat resistant.