Slate industry in Spain Slate industry in Spain 90% of Europes's natural slate used for roofing originates from the slate industry in Spain, with the region of Galicia being the primary source of production. Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock that splits into thin, smooth-surfaced layers. Metamorphic rock is rock which was once igneous or sedimentary and has been subsequently subjected to heat and pressure in varying degrees thereby altering its composition, structure and appearance. It is used extensively in the building industry, particularly for roofing tiles. The production of slate is estimated at 4 million tons per year. Galicia is situated on the
Slate types of object made from slate rock. It may mean a single roofing tile made of slate, or a writing slate. These were traditionally a small, smooth piece of the rock, often framed in wood, used with chalk as a notepad or noticeboard, and especially for recording charges in pubs and inns. The phrases "clean slate" and "blank slate" come from this usage. Before the mid-19th century, the terms "slate", "shale" and "schist" were not sharply distinguished. In the context of underground coal mining in the United States, the term slate was commonly used to refer to shale well into