Syenite

Slate

Syenite and Slate

Syenite

Slate

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Definition

Syenite is a coarse-grained igneous rock which is composed mainly of alkali feldspar and various ferromagnesian minerals

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

History

Origin

England

Discoverer

Unknown

Abraham Gottlob Werner

Etymology

From French syénite, from Latin Syenites (lapis ) (stone) of Syene

From Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat)

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

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

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy

Foliated

Color

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

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

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Banded and Foilated

Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration

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

Exterior Uses

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

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

As Dimension Stone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

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

Types

Shonkinite

Phyllite, Schist, and Slate

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable

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

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.

Slate is a low grade metamorphic rock that is generally formed by metamorphosis of mudstone or shale, under relatively low pressure and temperature conditions.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

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

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

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

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

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

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-63-4

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Splintery

Streak

White

Light to dark brown

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Dull

Compressive Strength

150.00 N/mm²30.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Slaty

Toughness

1.2

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.72.65-2.8

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.6-2.8 g/cm³2.6-2.8 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.76 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

China, India, Turkey

Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

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

Others

Arctic

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Brazil, Chile

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Syenite and Slate Properties

Know all about Syenite and Slate properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Syenite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Slate belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Syenite is Earthy whereas that of Slate is Foliated. Syenite appears Banded and Foilated and Slate appears Dull. The luster of Syenite is subvitreous to dull while that of Slate is dull. Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Slate is available in black, brown, buff, green, light to dark grey, purple, red, shades of blue colors. The commercial uses of Syenite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that 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.