Definition
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
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 French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
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
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Splintery
Aphanitic
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Muddy
Skeletal
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Jantar Mantar in India
Data Not Available
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.
Nephelinite 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
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Contact Metamorphism
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
Fine Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Flat
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Vitreous to Metallic
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
2.4-2.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Japan
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Rwanda, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Not Yet Found
Others
Not Yet Found
Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
Shale vs Nephelinite 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 Nephelinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Shale and Properties of Nephelinite. Learn more about Shale vs Nephelinite in the next section. The interior uses of Shale include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Shale and Nephelinite, 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 Nephelinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Shale and Nephelinite
Here you can know more about Shale and Nephelinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Shale and Nephelinite 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 Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Shale vs Nephelinite, 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, Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Shale is Muddy and that of Nephelinite is Skeletal. Properties of rock is another aspect for Shale vs Nephelinite. The hardness of Shale is 3 and that of Nephelinite is 6.5. The types of Shale are Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale whereas types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Shale and Nephelinite is white. The specific heat capacity of Shale is 0.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K. 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 Nephelinite is heat resistant.