Definition
Oil Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock from which oil is extracted
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 Old English scealu in its base sense of thing that divides or separate
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
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Splintery
Clastic, Splintery
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Interior Uses
Not Yet Used
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Not Yet Used
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock
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
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Types
Carbonate-rich Shale, Siliceous Shale and Cannel Shale
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
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
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
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.
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
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Not Available
Not Available
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Israel, Jordan, Russia, Syria, Thailand, Turkey
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Greenland, Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Oil shale 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. Oil shale vs Shale characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Oil shale and Properties of Shale. Learn more about Oil shale vs Shale in the next section. The interior uses of Oil shale include Not yet used whereas the interior uses of Shale include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Oil shale and Shale, 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 Shale include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Oil shale and Shale
Here you can know more about Oil shale and Shale. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Oil shale and Shale 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 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 Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Oil shale vs Shale, 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, Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors. Appearance of Oil shale is Muddy and that of Shale is Muddy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Oil shale vs Shale. The hardness of Oil shale is 2-3 and that of Shale is 3. The types of Oil shale are Carbonate-rich Shale, Siliceous Shale and Cannel Shale 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 Oil shale and Shale is white. The specific heat capacity of Oil shale is 0.39 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.Oil shale is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Shale is heat resistant, impact resistant.