Definition
Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals
  
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers
  
History
  
  
Origin
Tanzania
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From any intrusive igneous rock, having a majority of carbonate minerals
  
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Granular, Poikiloblastic
  
Clastic or Non-Clastic
  
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Grey, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
  
Soft
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Powder
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Unknown, Unknown
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium
  
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux
  
Alumina Refineries, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Paper Industry, Production of Lime, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, Soil Conditioner, Whiting, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Present
  
Formation
Carbonatites are intrusive or extrusive igneous rocks which are defined by mineralogic composition consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals and are formed due to low degrees of partial melting of rocks.
  
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
  
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
  
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
  
Ca, NaCl, CaO
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
3
  
1
  
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Not Available
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Dull
  
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
1
  
1
  
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
  
2.3-2.4
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
  
2.49-2.50 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.90 kJ/Kg K
  
12
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
  
Heat Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, 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
  
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
  
Others
Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Colombia
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
  
Carbonatite vs Chalk 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. Carbonatite vs Chalk characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Carbonatite and Properties of Chalk. Learn more about Carbonatite vs Chalk in the next section. The interior uses of Carbonatite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Chalk include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Carbonatite and Chalk, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Carbonatite in construction industry include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Unknown, Unknown and that of Chalk include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium.
More about Carbonatite and Chalk
Here you can know more about Carbonatite and Chalk. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Carbonatite and Chalk consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Carbonatite includes Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite and mineral content of Chalk includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Carbonatite vs Chalk, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Carbonatite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Carbonatite is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Chalk is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Carbonatite vs Chalk. The hardness of Carbonatite is 3 and that of Chalk is 1. The types of Carbonatite are Not Available whereas types of Chalk are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Carbonatite and Chalk is white. The specific heat capacity of Carbonatite is Not Available and that of Chalk is 0.90 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Carbonatite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Chalk is heat resistant.