Shale

For other uses, see Shale (disambiguation).

Shale is a ne-grained, clastic sedimentary rock com-

posed of mud that is a mix of akes of clay minerals and
tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, es-
pecially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other min-
erals is variable.[1] Shale is characterized by breaks along
thin laminae or parallel layering or bedding less than one
centimeter in thickness, called ssility.[1] Mudstones, on
the other hand, are similar in composition but do not show
the ssility.

1 Historical mining terminology Sample of drill cuttings of shale while drilling an oil well in
Louisiana, United States. Sand grain = 2 mm. in dia.

Before the mid 19th century, the terms slate, shale and
schist were not sharply distinguished.[2] In the context of Clays are the major constituent of shales and other
underground coal mining, shale was frequently referred mudrocks. The clay minerals represented are largely
to as slate well into the 20th century.[3] kaolinite, montmorillonite and illite. Clay minerals
of Late Tertiary mudstones are expandable smectites
whereas in older rocks especially in mid- to early
Paleozoic shales illites predominate. The transforma-
2 Texture tion of smectite to illite produces silica, sodium, calcium,
magnesium, iron and water. These released elements
Shale typically exhibits varying degrees of ssility break- form authigenic quartz, chert, calcite, dolomite, ankerite,
ing into thin layers, often splintery and usually parallel hematite and albite, all trace to minor (except quartz)
to the otherwise indistinguishable bedding plane because minerals found in shales and other mudrocks.[1]
of parallel orientation of clay mineral akes.[1] Non-
ssile rocks of similar composition but made of particles Shales and mudrocks contain roughly 95 percent of the
smaller than 0.06 mm are described as mudstones (1/3 to organic matter in all sedimentary rocks. However, this
2/3 silt particles) or claystone (less than 1/3 silt). Rocks amounts to less than one percent by mass in an aver-
with similar particle sizes but with less clay (greater than age shale. Black shales, which form in anoxic condi-
2/3 silt) and therefore grittier are siltstones.[1] Shale is the tions,
2+
contain reduced free carbon along with ferrous iron
most common sedimentary rock. [4] (Fe ) and sulfur (S2 ). Pyrite and amorphous iron sulde
along with carbon produce the black coloration.[1]

3 Composition and color 4 Formation

Shales are typically composed of variable amounts of clay
minerals and quartz grains and the typical color is gray.
Addition of variable amounts of minor constituents al-
ters the color of the rock. Black shale results from the
presence of greater than one percent carbonaceous mate-
rial and indicates a reducing environment.[1] Black shale
can also be referred to as black metal.[5] Red, brown and
green colors are indicative of ferric oxide (hematite
reds), iron hydroxide (goethite browns and limonite
yellow), or micaceous minerals (chlorite, biotite and illite
greens).[1]
The process in the rock cycle which forms shale is called
compaction. The ne particles that compose shale can
remain suspended in water long after the larger particles
of sand have deposited. Shales are typically deposited in
very slow moving water and are often found in lakes and
lagoonal deposits, in river deltas, on oodplains and o-
shore from beach sands. They can also be deposited in
sedimentary basins and on the continental shelf, in rela-
tively deep, quiet water.
'Black shales are dark, as a result of being especially

1
2 6 REFERENCES

Limey shale overlaid by limestone, Cumberland Plateau, Weathering shale at a road cut in southeastern Kentucky
Tennessee

5 See also
rich in unoxidized carbon. Common in some Paleo- Bituminous shale
zoic and Mesozoic strata, black shales were deposited in
anoxic, reducing environments, such as in stagnant wa- Oil shale
ter columns. Some black shales contain abundant heavy Burgess Shale
metals such as molybdenum, uranium, vanadium, and
zinc.[6][7][8] The enriched values are of controversial ori- Bakken formation
gin, having been alternatively attributed to input from
hydrothermal uids during or after sedimentation or to Barnett Shale
slow accumulation from sea water over long periods of Bearpaw Shale
sedimentation.[7][9][10]
Marcellus Formation

Mazon Creek fossil beds

Shale gas

Shale gas in the United States

Wianamatta Shale

Wheeler Shale

6 References
Splitting shale with a large knife to reveal fossils
Fossils, animal tracks/burrows and even raindrop impact
craters are sometimes preserved on shale bedding sur-
faces. Shales may also contain concretions consisting of
pyrite, apatite, or various carbonate minerals.
Shales that are subject to heat and pressure of
metamorphism alter into a hard, ssile, metamorphic
rock known as slate. With continued increase in
metamorphic grade the sequence is phyllite, then schist
and nally to gneiss.
[1] Blatt, Harvey and Robert J. Tracy (1996) Petrology: Ig-
neous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic, 2nd ed., Freeman,
pp. 281292 ISBN 0-7167-2438-3
[2] R. W. Raymond (1881) Slate in A Glossary of Mining
and Metallurigical Terms, American Institute of Mining
Engineers. p. 78.
[3] Albert H. Fay (1920) Slate in A Glossary of the Mining
and Mineral Industry, United States Bureau of Mines. p.
622.
[4] Rocks: Materials of the Lithosphere Summary. pren-
hall.com. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
[5] Herbert, Bucksch (1996). Dictionary geotechnical engi-
neering: English German. Springer. p. 61. ISBN 978-
3540581642.
 3

[6] R. Zangerl and E. S. Richardson (1963) The paleoecologic

history of two Pennsylvanian shales, Fieldiana Memoirs v.
4, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago

[7] J.D. Vine and E.B. Tourtelot (1970). Geo-

chemistry of black shale deposits A summary
report. Economic Geology. 65 (3): 253273.
doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.65.3.253.

[8] R.M. Coveney (1979). Zinc concentrations in mid-

continent Pennsylvanian black shales of Missouri
and Kansas. Economic Geology. 74: 131140.
doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.74.1.131.

[9] R.M. Coveney (2003) Metalliferous Paleozoic black

shales and associated strata in D.R. Lenz (ed.) Geochem-
istry of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks, Geotext 4, Ge-
ological Association of Canada pp. 135144

[10] H.D. Holland (1979). Metals in black shales A re-

assessment. Economic Geology. 70 (7): 16761680.
doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.74.7.1676.
4 7 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

7 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1 Text
Shale Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shale?oldid=772193206 Contributors: Bryan Derksen, Ktsquare, Jaknouse, Olivier, Mrwojo,
Irmgard, Hao2lian, Fibonacci, Rls, Pstudier, Pollinator, Chris 73, Modeha, Alan Liefting, Mike40033, Mmm~enwiki, Antandrus, Ge-
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DeGallium, Nick123, Light current, MCB, 21655, MarsJenkar, ZabMilenko, TLSuda, Mejor Los Indios, SmackBot, Bobet, Edgar181,
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tness, Haydenmcpherson, Tommy2010, ZroBot, Lateg, Piroxeno, OnePt618, TyA, Donner60, RockMagnetist, Targaryen, Sonicyouth86,
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