Shoutout to the time I mixed up shale and slate in the field...

I was collecting samples for a class project and grabbed a piece of what I thought was slate... It felt right and had that smooth cleavage, so I didn't think twice... Back in the lab, when I tried to split it, it just crumbled into layers... Turns out it was shale that had been compacted but not fully metamorphosed... I lost a good sample and had to go back out to find the real thing... It taught me to pay more attention to the subtle differences in rock types... Now I make sure to carry a hand lens to avoid such mix-ups.

3 comments

3 Comments

drew_ross731d ago

Field camp in Wyoming had me swearing a hunk of quartzite was marble for two whole days. The TA just smiled and handed me a drop of acid.

barbarac671d ago

Handing you that drop of acid is a WILD teaching move, but it sure makes the point. I had a similar mess-up with sandstone and limestone that went on for days. What finally worked for me was my professor making me scratch both rocks with a knife. Limestone turns to powder but sandstone feels gritty, and seeing that difference was a TOTAL lightbulb moment. Those hands-on tests just stick in your brain forever. Now I never forget which is which.

brookefox1d ago

Mixing up quartzite and marble for two days is a big mix-up, but the TA's move (handing you acid) is even crazier. That seems like a risky way to teach a point. You probably won't forget the difference now.