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
Rhomb-porphyry is a porphyritic igneous rock with abundant wedge or lens shaped anorthoclase or feldspar phenocrysts
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)
From Latin term that means purple
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Buff, Green, Light to Dark Grey, Purple, Red, Shades of Blue
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
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, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
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, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Metallurgical Flux, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
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.
Rhomb-porphyry 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.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Graphite, Hematite, Kaolinite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Zircon
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Cl, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Splintery
Conchoidal
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.8
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Turkey
Not Yet Found
Africa
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Europe
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
Bulgaria
Others
Arctic
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Brazil
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Slate vs Rhomb Porphyry 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 Rhomb Porphyry characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Slate and Properties of Rhomb Porphyry. Learn more about Slate vs Rhomb Porphyry 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 Rhomb Porphyry include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Slate and Rhomb Porphyry, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Slate in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Rhomb Porphyry include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Slate and Rhomb Porphyry
Here you can know more about Slate and Rhomb Porphyry. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Slate and Rhomb Porphyry 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 Rhomb Porphyry includes Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Slate vs Rhomb Porphyry, 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, Rhomb Porphyry is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Slate is Dull and that of Rhomb Porphyry is Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Slate vs Rhomb Porphyry. The hardness of Slate is 3-4 and that of Rhomb Porphyry is 5-5.5. The types of Slate are Not Available whereas types of Rhomb Porphyry 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 Rhomb Porphyry is white. The specific heat capacity of Slate is 0.76 kJ/Kg K and that of Rhomb Porphyry is 0.92 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 Rhomb Porphyry is heat resistant, pressure resistant.
