Shale and Ignimbrite

Shale

Ignimbrite

Definition

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

Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows

History

Origin

Unknown

New Zealand

Discoverer

Unknown

Patrick Marshall

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 Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic, Splintery

Aphanitic

Color

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

Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Muddy

Dull, Vesicular and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, 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

Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

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

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust

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.

Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Ca, NaCl

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

4-6

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Not Available

Uneven

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

95.00 N/mm²

243.80 N/mm²

Cleavage

Slaty

Not Available

Toughness

2.6

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.2-2.8

2.73

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.4-2.8 g/cm³

1-1.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.39 kJ/Kg K

0.20 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe

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

France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Antarctica, Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

Central Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Shale and Ignimbrite Properties

Know all about Shale and Ignimbrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Shale belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Ignimbrite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Shale is Clastic, Splintery whereas that of Ignimbrite is Aphanitic. Shale appears Muddy and Ignimbrite appears Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Shale is dull while that of Ignimbrite is vitreous to dull. Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors whereas Ignimbrite is available in beige, black, brown, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Shale are creating artwork, pottery and that of Ignimbrite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.