Definition
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
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 oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
-
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Splintery
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Maintenance
More
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Muddy
Rounded and Rough
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Industry
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Types
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Available in lots of colors, 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
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.
Oolites form when layers of calcite are deposited around a sand grain or fossil piece and are rolled around in calm water, which makes them round.
Composition
Mineral Content
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Mg, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
33-4
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
-
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Pearly to Shiny
Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm240.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Slaty
-
Toughness
2.6
1
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8-9999
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3-9999 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.39 kJ/Kg K0.65 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
United Kingdom
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
USA
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula