Definition
Definition
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
History
Origin
-
Discoverer
Johann Gottlob Lehmann
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,
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
-
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Clastic, Splintery
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Maintenance
More
Durability
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
58% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
61% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
42% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
36% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
19% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Appearance
Muddy
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
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
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Types
Types
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
Famous Monuments
Jantar Mantar in India
Sculpture
-
Famous Sculptures
-
Pictographs
-
Petroglyphs
-
Figurines
-
Fossils
Present
Formation
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.
Composition
Mineral Content
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
17% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks
Types of Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
78% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
86% - Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
3
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fracture
-
Streak
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull
Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm2
Rank: 30 (Overall)
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Slaty
Toughness
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.39 kJ/Kg K
Rank: 30 (Overall)
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