Slate and Pyrolite

Slate

Pyrolite

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

Pyrolite is an igneous rock consisting of about three parts of peridotite and one part of basalt

History

Origin

England

Pike County, U.S

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)

From the chemical and mineralogical composition of the upper mantle of the Earth

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness 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 Greenish - Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Dull

Rough and Shiny

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones

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

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Types

Not Available

Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite

Features

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

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

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.

Pyrolite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

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

Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-4

5.5-6

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Splintery

Irregular

Streak

Light to dark brown

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Shiny

Compressive Strength

30.00 N/mm²

107.55 N/mm²

Cleavage

Slaty

Imperfect

Toughness

1.2

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.65-2.8

3-3.01

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.6-2.8 g/cm³

3.1-3.4 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.76 kJ/Kg K

1.25 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Turkey

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

Not Yet Found

Morocco, South Africa

Europe

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

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Others

Arctic

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Slate and Pyrolite Properties

Know all about Slate and Pyrolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Slate belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Pyrolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Slate is Foliated whereas that of Pyrolite is Phaneritic. Slate appears Dull and Pyrolite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Slate is dull while that of Pyrolite is shiny. Slate is available in black, brown, buff, green, light to dark grey, purple, red, shades of blue colors whereas Pyrolite is available in dark 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 Pyrolite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds.