Definition
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate
Discoverer
Unknown
Belsazar Hacquet
Etymology
From Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball
From lime and stone in late 14th Century
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, 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
Shiny and Rounded
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, 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
Not Yet Used
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones
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
Not Available
Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
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
Data Not Available
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India
Formation
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
Mineral Content
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Splintery
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull to Pearly
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Non-Existent
Toughness
Not Available
1
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.88
2.3-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
2.3-2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Pressure 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
United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Conglomerate 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. Conglomerate vs Limestone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Conglomerate and Properties of Limestone. Learn more about Conglomerate vs Limestone in the next section. The interior uses of Conglomerate include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Homes whereas the interior uses of Limestone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Conglomerate and Limestone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Conglomerate in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Roadstone 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 Conglomerate and Limestone
Here you can know more about Conglomerate and Limestone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Conglomerate and Limestone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Conglomerate includes Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt and mineral content of Limestone includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Conglomerate vs Limestone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, 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. Appearance of Conglomerate is Shiny and Rounded and that of Limestone is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Conglomerate vs Limestone. The hardness of Conglomerate is 2-3 and that of Limestone is 3-4. The types of Conglomerate are Not Available 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 Conglomerate and Limestone is white. The specific heat capacity of Conglomerate is 0.92 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.Conglomerate is heat resistant whereas Limestone is pressure resistant.