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
  
Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks
  
History
  
  
Origin
England
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)
  
From the Middle High German verb gneist (to spark; so called because the rock glitters)
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Foliated
  
Banded, Foliated, Platy
  
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Light to Dark Grey, Purple, Red, Shades of Blue
  
Black, Brown, Pink, Red, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Dull
  
Foliated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
  
As Dimension Stone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts
  
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, Jewelry, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
  
Types
Not Available
  
Augen Gneiss, Henderson Gneiss, Lewisian Gneiss, Archean and Proterozoic Gneiss.
  
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
  
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Konark Sun Temple in India, Washington Monument, US
  
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
Absent
  
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.
  
Gneiss is a high grade metamorphic rock i.e. it has been subjected to higher temperatures and pressures than schist. It is formed by the metamorphosis of Gneiss forms from volcanic rock, shale or granitie.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Graphite, Hematite, Kaolinite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Zircon
  
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz, Quartzite, Silica, Zircon
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, MnO, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Impact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
3-4
  
7
  
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
  
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Splintery
  
Irregular
  
Streak
Light to dark brown
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Very Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Dull
  
Compressive Strength
30.00 N/mm
2
  
30
125.00 N/mm
2
  
17
Cleavage
Slaty
  
Poor
  
Toughness
1.2
  
1.2
  
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.8
  
2.5-2.7
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
  
2.6-2.9 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.76 kJ/Kg K
  
17
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Turkey
  
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia
  
Africa
Not Yet Found
  
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
  
Europe
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
  
Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
  
Others
Arctic
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Not Yet Found
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria