Slate and Gabbro

Slate

Gabbro

Definition

Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism

Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt

History

Origin

England

Germany

Discoverer

Unknown

Christian Leopold von Buch

Etymology

From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)

From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald

Class

Metamorphic 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

Foliated

Phaneritic

Color

Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Light to Dark Grey, Purple, Red, Shades of Blue

Dark Grey to Black

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Dull

Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Blackboards, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Standard material for the bed of Billiard table, Standard material for the beds of Pool and Snooker table, Tombstones, Used in aquariums, Writing Slates

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

Types

Not Available

Features

Easily splits into thin plates, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock

Smooth to touch

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Slate is a low grade metamorphic rock that is generally formed by metamorphosis of mudstone or shale, under relatively low pressure and temperature conditions.

Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.

Composition

Mineral Content

Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Graphite, Hematite, Kaolinite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Zircon

Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Impact Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-4

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Splintery

Conchoidal

Streak

Light to dark brown

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull

Not Available

Compressive Strength

30.00 N/mm²

225.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Slaty

Not Available

Toughness

1.2

1.6

Specific Gravity

2.65-2.8

2.86-2.87

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.6-2.8 g/cm³

2.7-3.3 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.76 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Turkey

India, Russia

Africa

Not Yet Found

South Africa

Europe

Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

Others

Arctic

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

New Zealand, Queensland

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Slate and Gabbro Properties

Know all about Slate and Gabbro properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Slate belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Gabbro belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Slate is Foliated whereas that of Gabbro is Phaneritic. Slate appears Dull and Gabbro appears Veined and Shiny. The luster of Slate is dull while that of Gabbro is not available. Slate is available in black, brown, buff, green, light to dark grey, purple, red, shades of blue colors whereas Gabbro is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Slate are blackboards, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, standard material for the bed of billiard table, standard material for the beds of pool and snooker table, tombstones, used in aquariums, writing slates and that of Gabbro are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.