Shale

Mudstone

Shale and Mudstone

Shale

Mudstone

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Definition

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

Mudstone is a fine-grained, dark gray sedimentary rock, which is formed from silt and clay and is similar to shale but has less laminations

History

Origin

Discoverer

Johann Gottlob Lehmann

William Smith

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 English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic, Splintery

Clastic

Color

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

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Muddy

Rough and Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Roof Tiles

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture

Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Pottery

Types

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

Marl, Shale and Argillite

Features

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

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Jantar Mantar in India

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

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.

Mudstone forms when very fine-grained clay particles are deposited in water which settle at the bottom of water bodies. They are buried and compacted by overlying sediment hence forming mudstone.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz

Compound Content

Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

32-3

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull

Compressive Strength

95.00 N/mm²25.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Perfect

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.2-2.82.2-2.8

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.4-2.8 g/cm³2.4-2.8 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.39 kJ/Kg K0.39 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

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

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

All about Shale and Mudstone Properties

Know all about Shale and Mudstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Shale and Mudstone belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Shale is Clastic, Splintery whereas that of Mudstone is Clastic. Shale appears Muddy and Mudstone appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Shale and Mudstone is dull. Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors whereas Mudstone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Shale and Mudstone are creating artwork, pottery.