Claystone

Mudstone is a sedimentary rock pelitisches ( grain size less than 0.002 mm) and consists mainly of clay minerals (eg montmorillonite, illite and smectite ). More Gemengteile are quartz, feldspar, and carbonates. Stark bituminous shales are called oil shale.

Mudstones occur in many different colors, such as light to dark gray, black, red and green. For determining the color are admixtures of limonite, hematite, chlorite and organic carbon compounds, such as bitumen or coal.

Under pressure and temperature converted, mostly dünnblättrig splitting mudstone is called shale. The surfaces of this gap metamorphic rock sometimes extend not parallel to the layer surfaces.

• German occurrences ( a selection): Messel in Darmstadt- Dieburg (Hessen)
• Wood grubs (Baden- Württemberg)
• Ohmden (Schwaben )
• Niederschöna (Saxony )

• Use: Mudstones of swellable clay minerals (montmorillonite ) are used in the brick and ceramic industry.

• Clastic sedimentary rock