Gemdle

Slate

grayblack

Slate, a gray/black mineral
Etan J. Tal · CC BY-SA 3.0
ColourGray, Black

What is Slate?

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. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic rock. Foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering, but instead is in planes perpendicular to the direction of metamorphic compression.

How to identify Slate

Can you spot Slate?

Test yourself on photos of Slate and lookalikes:

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Slate?
Slate's hardness varies; see the property table above.
What colour is Slate?
Slate is typically gray, black.