CHAPTER 3

Abstract

The objectives of this chapter are to present details of the Bringelly shale from the four sites used in this study. This includes the location of the sites, their lithology and the techniques of sampling from these sites. An examination of the mineralogy and micro-structure of Bringelly shale is also included. These were investigated using a variety of techniques including x-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Laboratory characterisation studies of this shale have been limited to the claystone-siltstone materials which are the predominant lithology in Bringelly shale. Outcomes of the study in this chapter will be linked to the engineering and physical properties of Bringelly shale in the following chapters.