Definition
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed by the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Discoverer
Johann Gottlob Lehmann
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 pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Splintery
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Red, Yellow
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Muddy
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing 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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Pottery
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Jantar Mantar in India
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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.
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
Mineral Content
Albite, Biotite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Dolomite, Hematite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Silica, Sulfides
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
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
Types of Metamorphism
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Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional 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, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Coarse Grained
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
3.2-3.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
India, Russia
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
South Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Shale vs Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Shale and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Shale vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Shale include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Shale and Pyroxenite, 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 Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Shale and Pyroxenite
Here you can know more about Shale and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Shale and Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Shale vs Pyroxenite, 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, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Shale is Muddy and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Shale vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Shale is 3 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Shale are Red Shale, Black Shale, Green Shale, Grey Shale and Yellow Shale whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. 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 Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Shale is 0.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Pyroxenite is 0.84 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 Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.