Definition
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Origin
-
Southern Alps, France
Discoverer
Unknown
Dolomieu
Etymology
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Earthy
Color
Grey, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Soft
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Powder
-
Construction Industry
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
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, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock
Medical Industry
-
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
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
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Chalk Marl and Marl
Boninite and Jasperoid
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.
Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl, CaO
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
-
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Vitreous and Pearly
Specific Gravity
2.3-2.4
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.49-2.50 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
China, India
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Morocco, Namibia
Europe
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Mexico, USA
South America
Colombia
Brazil, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
All about Chalk and Dolomite Properties
Know all about Chalk and Dolomite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Chalk and Dolomite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Chalk is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Dolomite is Earthy. Chalk appears Soft and Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Chalk is dull while that of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly. Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow colors whereas Dolomite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Chalk are 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 and that of Dolomite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).