Definition
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers
Origin
Southern Alps, France
Unknown
Discoverer
Dolomieu
Unknown
Etymology
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Grey, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Powder
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, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock
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, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
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
Boninite and Jasperoid
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.
Mineral Content
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
Ca, NaCl, CaO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Not Available
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Vitreous and Pearly
Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.3-2.4
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.49-2.50 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Morocco, Namibia
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
All about Dolomite and Chalk Properties
Know all about Dolomite and Chalk properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dolomite and Chalk belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Dolomite is Earthy whereas that of Chalk is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly and Chalk appears Soft. The luster of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly while that of Chalk is dull. Dolomite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses 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) and that 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.