does slate have cleavage or fracture
Roofing slate is a dense, durable, naturally occurring material that is essentially nonabsorbent. Two properties of slate are cleavage and fracture. It has natural cleavage, which permits it to be easily split in one direction.Fracture, usually occurring at right angles to the cleavage, is called the grain. Roofing slate commonly is split so the length of the slate runs in the direction of the grain.The surface texture of slate after being split for commercial use derives from the characteristics of the rock from which it was quarried.oofing slate is a dense, durable, naturally occurring material that is essentially nonabsorbent. Two properties of slate are cleavage and fracture. It has natural cleavage, which permits it to be easily split in one direction.