Slate

Metapelite

Slate and Metapelite

Slate

Metapelite

Add ⊕

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

Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone

History

Origin

England

Discoverer

Abraham Gottlob Werner

Unknown

Etymology

From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)

From Pelos or clay in Greek

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated

Color

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

Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull

Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

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

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

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

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Phyllite, Schist, and Slate

Metamorphic rock

Features

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

Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

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.

Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Albite, Chlorite, Quartz

Compound Content

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

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-45-6

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Splintery

Fibrous

Streak

Light to dark brown

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull

Earthy

Compressive Strength

30.00 N/mm²40.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Slaty

Toughness

1.2

Specific Gravity

2.65-2.83.4-3.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.6-2.8 g/cm³0-300 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.76 kJ/Kg K0.72 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Turkey

Africa

Western Africa

Europe

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

United Kingdom

Others

Arctic

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Brazil

Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Slate and Metapelite Properties

Know all about Slate and Metapelite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Slate and Metapelite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Slate is Foliated whereas that of Metapelite is Foliated. Slate appears Dull and Metapelite appears Banded. The luster of Slate is dull while that of Metapelite is earthy. Slate is available in black, brown, buff, green, light to dark grey, purple, red, shades of blue colors whereas Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey 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 Metapelite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork.