With a bit of patching, yea shingles can probably be 30. Unless air circulation is bad, then 10. I worked on one re-shingling the west side, when the east side looked good as new (10yo roof, iirc). Just some weird airflow on that side (neighbours house maybe).
It lasts forever with regular maintenance. I moved into a house with a slate roof that’s 96 years old. We just have a roofer come out and replace a few cracked tiles every year. Not necessarily any cheaper but the cost is spread out and it seems less wasteful.
It's an old timey thing. Slate naturally is fairly flat naturally and easily made into squares. It lasted much longer than cedar and newer methods weren't around. People still using it are after the look.