Flagstone is a very general term that denotes a large flat stone that is between one and four inches thick, especially one used for paving. Stones of this nature are created by splitting or cutting. The primary types of flagstones are sandstone, limestone, granite, slate or quartzite.
Slate, on the other hand, is a type of rock. You can make flagstones out of slate. Some flagstones are slate, but not all. Not all pieces of slate are flagstones.
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Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock made up of clay and volcanic ash, while flagstone is a sedimentary rock that is split into layers for use as paving material. Slate tends to have a smooth, uniform texture and is often used for roofing, while flagstone is more irregular in shape and is commonly used for landscaping and outdoor patios.
Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock formed from the low-grade metamorphism of shale or mudstone, while phyllite is a more intermediate-grade metamorphic rock formed from the metamorphism of slate. Phyllite has a more pronounced foliation and sheen due to increased metamorphic pressure and temperature compared to slate.
Phyllite is a foliated metamorphic rock that is texturally intermediate between slate and schist. It exhibits a greater degree of metamorphism than slate but not as much as schist, resulting in a medium-grain texture with a glossy sheen.
Foliated rocks have a layered or banded structure due to the alignment of minerals, like slate or schist. Non-foliated rocks lack this layered structure and instead have a more uniform composition, like marble or quartzite.
No, granite typically does not turn into slate. Slate is formed from the metamorphism of fine-grained sedimentary rocks such as shale or mudstone, while granite is an igneous rock that forms from the cooling and solidification of magma. The processes involved in their formation are different, so granite does not typically transform into slate.
Slate is a metamorphic rock that falls somewhere between a soft and hard rock. It is formed from the low-grade metamorphism of shale and is generally softer than granite or marble. It is commonly used for roofing, flooring, and as a decorative stone due to its ability to be split into thin sheets.