Definition
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
A water-soluble mineral sediment resulting from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution
Discoverer
Unknown
Usiglio
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 a sediment left after the evaporation
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Splintery
Earthy
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Colourless, Green, Grey, Silver, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Muddy
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, 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
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Used in the manufacture of Ceramic Powder, Used in the preparation of Sulfuric Acid and Silicon Diborite
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
Generally rough to touch, Splintery, Veined
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Jantar Mantar in India
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
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.
Evaporite is water-soluble mineral sediment which forms from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution.
Mineral Content
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Calcite, Cancrinite, Gypsum, Kyanite, Magnetite
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
CaMg(CO3)2, CaO, Calcium Sulfate, KCl, MgO, NaCl
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Toughness
2.6
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
2.86-2.99
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Not Available
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Not Available
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Colombia, Paraguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Shale and Evaporite Properties
Know all about Shale and Evaporite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Shale and Evaporite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Shale is Clastic, Splintery whereas that of Evaporite is Earthy. Shale appears Muddy and Evaporite appears Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Shale is dull while that of Evaporite is subvitreous to dull. Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors whereas Evaporite is available in colourless, green, grey, silver, white colors. The commercial uses of Shale are creating artwork, pottery and that of Evaporite are used in the manufacture of ceramic powder, used in the preparation of sulfuric acid and silicon diborite.