Definition
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix
Origin
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Swiss Alps, Europe
Discoverer
Johann Gottlob Lehmann
Michael Tellinger
Etymology
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,
From the Italian word cataclasi
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Splintery
Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Muddy
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Jantar Mantar in India
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Formation
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.
Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
2.1
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Argentina, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia