uncommon
black shale
antrim shale · its gas is made by bacteria
The tell
Splits into flat sheets and is noticeably LIGHT for its size. Basalt is heavy and does not split.
Antrim shale is an oil shale. A freshly broken piece, wet, sometimes smells faintly of tar. That is genuinely the hydrocarbon in it.
What it gets mistaken for
- basalt
- lightning stone
- slate
- coal
The facts
- also calledantrim shale · its gas is made by bacteria
- age~370 million yrs
- where it turns upAntrim belt · Alpena & NW Lower
- the field marka knife carves it · it splits into flat plates
10% of every order goes to northern Michigan animal shelters.