Slatecalculation—A Practical Tool for Deriving Norm Minerals in the Lowest-Grade Metamorphic Pelites and Roof Slates

Roof and wall slates are fine-grained rocks with slaty cleavage, and it is often difficult to determine their mineral composition. A new norm mineral calculation called slatecalculation allows the determination of a virtual mineral composition based on full chemical analysis, including the amounts o...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hans Wolfgang Wagner, Dieter Jung, Jean-Frank Wagner, Matthias Patrick Wagner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-04-01
Series:Minerals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/5/395
Description
Summary:Roof and wall slates are fine-grained rocks with slaty cleavage, and it is often difficult to determine their mineral composition. A new norm mineral calculation called slatecalculation allows the determination of a virtual mineral composition based on full chemical analysis, including the amounts of carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), carbon (C), and sulfur (S). Derived norm minerals include feldspars, carbonates, micas, hydro-micas, chlorites, ore-minerals, and quartz. The mineral components of the slate are assessed with superior accuracy compared to the petrographic analysis based on the European Standard EN 12326. The inevitable methodical inaccuracies in the calculations are limited and transparent. In the present paper, slates, shales, and phyllites from worldwide occurrences were examined. This also gives an overview of the rocks used for discontinuous roofing and external cladding.
ISSN:2075-163X