Shale and Dunite

Shale

Dunite

Dunite and Shale

Definition

Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

History

Origin

Unknown

New Zealand

Discoverer

Unknown

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

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 name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic, Splintery

Phaneritic

Color

Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow

Dark Greenish - Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Muddy

Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Types

Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale

Not Available

Features

Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Jantar Mantar in India

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Present

Absent

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.

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Composition

Mineral Content

Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-4

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Not Available

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Shiny

Compressive Strength

95.00 N/mm²

107.55 N/mm²

Cleavage

Slaty

Imperfect

Toughness

2.6

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.2-2.8

3-3.01

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.4-2.8 g/cm³

2.84-2.85 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.39 kJ/Kg K

1.25 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Morocco, South Africa

Europe

Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Shale and Dunite Properties

Know all about Shale and Dunite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Shale belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Dunite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Shale is Clastic, Splintery whereas that of Dunite is Phaneritic. Shale appears Muddy and Dunite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Shale is dull while that of Dunite is shiny. Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors whereas Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. The commercial uses of Shale are creating artwork, pottery and that of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds.