In fact, one Spanish business has 16 quarries and 22 processing units, making it the world's largest producer of slate. Slate from Spain may range widely in quality. Slate at the lower end of the price spectrum is often soft, meaning it weathers down rapidly, and includes unwanted iron pyrites.
In the process of becoming slate, clay is subjected to pressure, causing it to become a rock with minute particles of minerals like quartz and mica, among many others. Iron in slate causes the formation of pyrite.
With time, it rusts and leaves unsightly dark spots on the roof.
Pyrite may be identified in slate using x-ray diffraction. However, the finest Spanish slate might be on par with that of Wales. One of the greatest slates in Europe is called "Forna," while "Cafersa" is a Spanish slate that doesn't contain any iron pyrites and comes with a hundred-year warranty from the quarry.
Is Spanish slate good
Slate from Spain is among the finest available.
However, not all Spanish slates are created equal. Some of them work very well and look great, while others are not. You should only utilise high-quality supplies while designing your roof. Welsh slate is much denser than Spanish slate because of its greater age. This makes it far more robust and long-lasting.
To be sure, Spanish slate is still highly long-lasting, but it will deteriorate and change colour sooner than other materials.
It will be less expensive than other options while still being a good one for roofing. While they have a genuine appearance, they are prone to splitting due to their uneven grain. Being softer than Welsh slate, they have a 40-50 year lifespan at most. In the course of millions of years, fine-grained sediments metamorphosed into the foliated rock known as Spanish slate.
Contains mostly the minerals quartz, sericite, and chlorite.
While the slate in the United Kingdom comes in a wider range of hues, Spanish slate is often found in just two colours: black and grey. Slates are not created equal, nor do they all come with the same assurances.
Contrary to slate from countries like China and Brazil, Spanish slate is tectonically formed. Spanish slates are known for their durability and beauty, making them an industry standard. For slate, Spain is the top and foremost producer in the world.
Northern Canada has a rich mining history and is home to the world's largest and finest tectonic natural slate deposits.
Many architects and builders are beginning to realise the benefits of utilising natural slate as a roofing material, making it one of the most popular choices.
Spain is a global leader in this area.
As a matter of fact, 90% of all slate sold worldwide comes from Spain.