Slate

Diabase

Slate vs Diabase

Slate

Diabase

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1 Definition

1.1 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

Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

England

Germany

1.2.2 Discoverer

Unknown

Christian Leopold von Buch

1.3 Etymology

From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)

From Greek di + base

1.4 Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Not Applicable

Volcanic

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Foliated

Aphanitic, Granular

2.2 Color

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

Dark Grey to Black

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Dull

Vesicular

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

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

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

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

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

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

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

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 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

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

4 Types

4.1 Types

Not Available

4.2 Features

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

Smooth to touch

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

4.3.5 Pictographs

Used

Not Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

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

Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine

5.2.2 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

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

3-47

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fine to Medium Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Splintery

Conchoidal

6.1.4 Streak

Light to dark brown

Black

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Dull

Not Available

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

30.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Slaty

Not Available

6.1.9 Toughness

1.2

1.6

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.65-2.82.86-2.87

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.6-2.8 g/cm³2.7-3.3 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

0.76 kJ/Kg KNA

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

China, India, Turkey

India

7.1.2 Africa

Not Yet Found

South Africa, Tanzania

7.1.3 Europe

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

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

7.1.4 Others

Arctic

Antarctica, Greenland

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

USA

Canada, USA

7.2.2 South America

Brazil

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

Not Yet Found

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

Slate vs Diabase 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 Diabase 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. Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar. 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 Diabase information and Slate vs Diabase characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Slate vs Diabase 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 Diabase characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Slate and Properties of Diabase. Learn more about Slate vs Diabase 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 Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Slate and Diabase, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Slate in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Diabase include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Slate and Diabase

Here you can know more about Slate and Diabase. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Slate and Diabase 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 Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Slate vs Diabase, 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, Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Slate is Dull and that of Diabase is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Slate vs Diabase. The hardness of Slate is 3-4 and that of Diabase is 7. The types of Slate are Not Available whereas types of Diabase 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 Diabase is black. The specific heat capacity of Slate is 0.76 kJ/Kg K and that of Diabase is Not Available. 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 Diabase is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.