Definition
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate
Origin
Pennsylvania, U.S.
New Zealand
Discoverer
Unknown
Belsazar Hacquet
Etymology
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal
From lime and stone in late 14th Century
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Amorphous, Glassy
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Gold, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Linen, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Not Yet Used
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Not Yet Used
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone, Source of calcium
Medical Industry
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Antiquity Uses
Not Yet Used
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry
Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Paper Industry, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, Soil Conditioner, Used in aquariums, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Types
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite
Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa
Features
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Acropolis of Athens in Greece, Agia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Big Ben in London, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Chichen Itza in Mexico, Empire State Building in New York, Khajuraho Temples, India, Kremlin in Moscow, Louvre in Paris, France, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Potala Palace in Lahasa, Tibet, Wailing Wall in Jerusalem
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Splintery
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Dull to Pearly
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Non-Existent
Toughness
Not Available
1
Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4
2.3-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.25-2.5 g/cm3
2.3-2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
USA
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Anthracite vs Limestone Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Anthracite vs Limestone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Anthracite and Properties of Limestone. Learn more about Anthracite vs Limestone in the next section. The interior uses of Anthracite include Not yet used whereas the interior uses of Limestone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Anthracite and Limestone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Anthracite in construction industry include Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel production and that of Limestone include Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Production of glass and ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone, Source of calcium.
More about Anthracite and Limestone
Here you can know more about Anthracite and Limestone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Anthracite and Limestone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Anthracite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals and mineral content of Limestone includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Anthracite vs Limestone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors whereas, Limestone is available in beige, black, blue, brown, cream, gold, green, grey, light green, light grey, linen, pink, red, rust, silver, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Anthracite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Limestone is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Anthracite vs Limestone. The hardness of Anthracite is 1-1.5 and that of Limestone is 3-4. The types of Anthracite are Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite whereas types of Limestone are Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Anthracite is black while that of Limestone is white. The specific heat capacity of Anthracite is 1.32 kJ/Kg K and that of Limestone is 0.91 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Anthracite is heat resistant, water resistant whereas Limestone is pressure resistant.