Definition
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers
A carbonate rock which is matrix supported and contains over 10% allochems in a carbonate mud matrix.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Clastic
Color
Grey, White, Yellow
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Soft
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Powder
Curbing
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
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture
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
Cemetery Markers, Pottery
Types
Not Available
Marl, Shale and Argillite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.
Wackestone is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. These particles settle down and are then compacted due to high temperature and pressure hence forming Wackestone.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl, CaO
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Perfect
Specific Gravity
2.3-2.4
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.49-2.50 g/cm3
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Colombia
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Chalk vs Wackestone 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. Chalk vs Wackestone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Chalk and Properties of Wackestone. Learn more about Chalk vs Wackestone in the next section. The interior uses of Chalk include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Wackestone include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Chalk and Wackestone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Chalk in construction industry 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 and that of Wackestone include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Chalk and Wackestone
Here you can know more about Chalk and Wackestone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Chalk and Wackestone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Chalk includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand and mineral content of Wackestone includes Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Chalk vs Wackestone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow colors whereas, Wackestone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Chalk is Soft and that of Wackestone is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Chalk vs Wackestone. The hardness of Chalk is 1 and that of Wackestone is 2-3. The types of Chalk are Not Available whereas types of Wackestone are Marl, Shale and Argillite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Chalk and Wackestone is white. The specific heat capacity of Chalk is 0.90 kJ/Kg K and that of Wackestone is 0.39 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Chalk is heat resistant whereas Wackestone is heat resistant, impact resistant.