Definition
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
Hornblendite is a type of igneous plutonic rock consisting mainly of amphibole hornblende and is a type of Amphibolite rock
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
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 German, Horn horn + blende
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Splintery
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Muddy
Foliated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, 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
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, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Jantar Mantar in India
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not 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.
Hornblendite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Irregular to Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Vitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
2.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Russia, Turkey
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
South Australia, Western Australia
Shale vs Hornblendite 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 Hornblendite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Shale and Properties of Hornblendite. Learn more about Shale vs Hornblendite in the next section. The interior uses of Shale include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Hornblendite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Shale and Hornblendite, 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 Hornblendite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Production of glass and ceramics, Roadstone.
More about Shale and Hornblendite
Here you can know more about Shale and Hornblendite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Shale and Hornblendite 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 Hornblendite includes Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite. You can also check out the list of all . When we have to compare Shale vs Hornblendite, 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, Hornblendite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. Appearance of Shale is Muddy and that of Hornblendite is Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Shale vs Hornblendite. The hardness of Shale is 3 and that of Hornblendite is 6-7. The types of Shale are Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale whereas types of Hornblendite are Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite. 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 Hornblendite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Shale is 0.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Hornblendite 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 Hornblendite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.