Dolomite

Oolite

Dolomite and Oolite

Dolomite

Oolite

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Definition

Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight

Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite

History

Origin

Southern Alps, France

Discoverer

Dolomieu

William Smith

Etymology

From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock

From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

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, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Rounded and Rough

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

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, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock

Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

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)

Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums

Types

Boninite and Jasperoid

Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite

Features

Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits

Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Formation

Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.

Oolites form when layers of calcite are deposited around a sand grain or fossil piece and are rolled around in calm water, which makes them round.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides

Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt

Compound Content

NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-43-4

1 7

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Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous and Pearly

Pearly to Shiny

Compressive Strength

140.00 N/mm²40.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.8-3-9999

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Transparent to Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.65 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

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

United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Mexico, USA

USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

All about Dolomite and Oolite Properties

Know all about Dolomite and Oolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dolomite and Oolite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Dolomite is Earthy whereas that of Oolite is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly and Oolite appears Rounded and Rough. The luster of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly while that of Oolite is pearly to shiny. Dolomite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, 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 Oolite are creating artwork, jewelry, used in aquariums.