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
  
History
  
  
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 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
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Plutonic
  
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
  
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
  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
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
  
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
  
Other Uses
  
  
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
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Jantar Mantar in India
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet 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.
  
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
  
Composition
  
  
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
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical 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
  
Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
  
Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm
2
  
20
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Slaty
  
Irregular
  
Toughness
2.6
  
Not Available
  
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
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.39 kJ/Kg K
  
23
Not Available
  
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
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
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 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 Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.