shale

shale

shale sedimentary rock formed by the consolidation of mud or clay, having the property of splitting into thin layers parallel to its bedding planes. Shale tends to be fissile, i.e., it tends to split along planar surfaces between the layers of stratified rock. Shales comprise an estimated 55% of all sedimentary rocks. The composition of shale varies widely. Shales with very high silica content may have been formed when large quantities of diatoms and volcanic ash were present in the original sediment. Large numbers of fossils in shales may give them a high calcium content; such shales may grade into limestones . Shales that contain a large percentage of alumina are used as a source of that mineral in the manufacture of cement . Shales containing abundant carbonaceous matter grade into bituminous coal . Oil shales are widely distributed in the W United States and may be a future source of petroleum.

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"shale." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"shale." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-shale.html

"shale." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-shale.html

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shale

shale / shāl/ • n. soft, finely stratified sedimentary rock that formed from consolidated mud or clay and can be split easily into fragile slabs. DERIVATIVES: shal·y (also shal·ey) adj.

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"shale." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"shale." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-shale.html

"shale." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-shale.html

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shale

shale Fine-grained, fissile, sedimentary rock composed of clay-sized and silt-sized particles of unspecified mineral composition. The noun may be qualified by an adjective (e.g. black shale, paper shale, and oil shale).

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "shale." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "shale." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-shale.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "shale." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-shale.html

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shale

shale Fine-grained, fissile, sedimentary rock composed of clay-sized and silt-sized particles of unspecified mineral composition. The noun may be qualified by an adjective(e.g. black shale, paper shale, and oil shale).

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "shale." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "shale." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-shale.html

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "shale." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-shale.html

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shale

shale XVIII prob. — G. schale (not used in this sense, but cf. schalstein laminated limestone, schalgebirge mountain system of thin strata) = OE. sċ(e)alu SCALE1..
So shaly (-Y1) XVII.

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T. F. HOAD. "shale." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "shale." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-shale.html

T. F. HOAD. "shale." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-shale.html

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shale

shale Common sedimentary rock formed from mud or clay. Characterized by very fine layering, it may contain various materials such as fossils, carbonaceous matter and oil.

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"shale." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"shale." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-shale.html

"shale." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-shale.html

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shale

shaleail, ale, assail, avail, bail, bale, bewail, brail, Braille, chain mail, countervail, curtail, dale, downscale, drail, dwale, entail, exhale, fail, faille, flail, frail, Gael, Gail, gale, Grail, grisaille, hail, hale, impale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, nonpareil, outsail, pail, pale, quail, rail, sail, sale, sangrail, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tail, tale, they'll, trail, upscale, vail, vale, veil, wail, wale, whale, Yale •Passchendaele • Airedale •Wensleydale • Clydesdale •Chippendale • Coverdale • Abigail •galingale • martingale • nightingale •farthingale • Windscale • timescale •blackmail • airmail •email, female •Ishmael • voicemail • vermeil

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"shale." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"shale." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-shale.html

"shale." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-shale.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Shale Gas: What Is New In China?
News Wire article from: Mondaq Business Briefing; 4/26/2012
Shales remain hot as companies report progress in new gas plays.
Magazine article from: Natural Gas Week; 2/6/2006
Shale Gas is shaping the natural gas market.(2011 Midstream Report)
Magazine article from: Pipeline &amp; Gas Journal; 5/1/2011

Facts and information from other sites

shale images
shale. Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)