Definition
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
  
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
Germany
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Christian Leopold von Buch
  
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 Greek di + base
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic, Splintery
  
Aphanitic, Granular
  
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
  
Dark Grey to Black
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Muddy
  
Vesicular
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
  
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
  
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
  
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
  
Smooth to touch
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Jantar Mantar in India
  
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
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.
  
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
  
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
  
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
3
  
7
  
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
  
Fine to Medium Grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
Black
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Not Available
  
Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm2
  
20
225.00 N/mm2
  
7
Cleavage
Slaty
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
2.6
  
1.6
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
2.86-2.87
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
  
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.39 kJ/Kg K
  
23
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
  
India
  
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Antarctica, Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
  
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
Shale vs Diabase Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Shale vs Diabase characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Shale and Properties of Diabase. Learn more about Shale vs Diabase in the next section. The interior uses of Shale include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Shale and Diabase, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Shale in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Diabase include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Shale and Diabase
Here you can know more about Shale and Diabase. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Shale and Diabase consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Shale includes Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides and mineral content of Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Shale vs Diabase, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Shale is available in black, brown, buff, green, grey, red, yellow colors whereas, Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Shale is Muddy and that of Diabase is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Shale vs Diabase. The hardness of Shale is 3 and that of Diabase is 7. The types of Shale are Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale whereas types of Diabase are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Shale is white while that of Diabase is black. The specific heat capacity of Shale is 0.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Diabase is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Shale is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Diabase is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.