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
Alan (given name) Iranian "*aryāna", "noble people") because the long vowel in the second syllable would produce Old Breton "-o-", Middle Breton "-eu-" and Modern Breton "-e-" and not the attested spelling with an "-a-". In Ireland and Gaelic-speaking Scotland, Alan may also be an Anglicization of an Irish word (with diminutive suffix) meaning "rock". For example, the modern Irish "ailín" means "little rock". Similarly, according to Patrick Woulfe, the Irish name "Ailín" is derived from diminutive "ail", which means "noble", "rock". Woulfe stated that this name is a pet form of some other name beginning with the first element "Ail-". Forms of