Clay and Shale

Shale

According to Geofacts No. 11, "clay is a sediment of soft plastic consistency composed mostly of extremely fine grained minerals known as clay minerals."  I understand that shale is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of clay.  Again, the uses of these minerals are varied.  Read what the handout has to say.

My father's farm had soil in certain spots of the fields which he called clay.  It was difficult to plow, disc and cultivate.  It seemed to me that it lacked humus.  It did not grow crops well.  When the weather became dry it became very hard, slowing or eliminating plant growth.

Later, I discovered that clay is also found in stream beds and elsewhere.  Some potters collect their own clay from nature.  They make pottery and the like with it.  When it is shaped, they fire it in a kiln and it becomes hard.

I was unaware of the connection between clay and shale until Tom's lecture.  It is interesting to note that the European settlers were using clay in the late 1700's for bricks, tile, and china. 

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