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Slate vs Chalk


Chalk vs Slate


Definition

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   
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers   

History
  
  

Origin
England   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)   
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Foliated   
Clastic or Non-Clastic   

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

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Dull   
Soft   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Powder   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone   
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

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   
Alumina Refineries, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Paper Industry, Production of Lime, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, Soil Conditioner, Whiting, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock   
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

Formation

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.   
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Graphite, Hematite, Kaolinite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Zircon   
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Ca, NaCl, CaO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-4   
1   

Grain Size
Very fine-grained   
Very fine-grained   

Fracture
Splintery   
Not Available   

Streak
Light to dark brown   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Dull   
Dull   

Compressive Strength
30.00 N/mm2   
30
Not Available   

Cleavage
Slaty   
Non-Existent   

Toughness
1.2   
1   

Specific Gravity
2.65-2.8   
2.3-2.4   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6-2.8 g/cm3   
2.49-2.50 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.76 kJ/Kg K   
17
0.90 kJ/Kg K   
12

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Turkey   
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam   

Africa
Not Yet Found   
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe   

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

Others
Arctic   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil   
Colombia   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula   

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Slate vs Chalk Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Slate and Chalk Reserves. 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. Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Slate vs Chalk information and Slate vs Chalk characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Slate vs Chalk 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. Slate vs Chalk characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Slate and Properties of Chalk. Learn more about Slate vs Chalk in the next section. The interior uses of Slate include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Chalk include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Slate and Chalk, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Slate in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Chalk include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium.

More about Slate and Chalk

Here you can know more about Slate and Chalk. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Slate and Chalk consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Slate includes Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Graphite, Hematite, Kaolinite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Zircon and mineral content of Chalk includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Slate vs Chalk, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Slate is available in black, brown, buff, green, light to dark grey, purple, red, shades of blue colors whereas, Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Slate is Dull and that of Chalk is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Slate vs Chalk. The hardness of Slate is 3-4 and that of Chalk is 1. The types of Slate are Not Available whereas types of Chalk are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Slate is light to dark brown while that of Chalk is white. The specific heat capacity of Slate is 0.76 kJ/Kg K and that of Chalk is 0.90 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Slate is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Chalk is heat resistant.

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