Definition
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate
Origin
England
New Zealand
Discoverer
Unknown
Belsazar Hacquet
Etymology
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
From lime and stone in late 14th Century
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Brecciated, Clastic
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Gold, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Linen, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
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, Medicines and Cosmetics
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
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
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
-
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
Famous Sculptures
-
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India
Formation
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Splintery
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Dull to Pearly
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.3-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0 g/cm3
2.3-2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
USA
South America
Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
All about Breccia and Limestone Properties
Know all about Breccia and Limestone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Breccia and Limestone belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic whereas that of Limestone is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Limestone appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Breccia and Limestone is dull to pearly. Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow 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. The commercial uses of Breccia are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry and that of Limestone are 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.