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Article
Black shale
Article By:
Wignall, Paul B. School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Last reviewed:March 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.086200
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- Black shale, published October 2019:Download PDF
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A distinctive, fine-grained mudrock that derives its dark color from an unusually high content of organic matter, ranging from around 2% to over 50% of the weight of the rock (typical shales contain less than 1% organic matter). Most black shales (see illustration) can split into paper-thin sheets, and these are sometimes called paper shales. See also: Shale
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