Dolomite and Schist

Dolomite

Schist

Schist and Dolomite

Definition

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

Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large, flat, sheet like grains in a preferred orientation

History

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 French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy

Foliated, Platy

Color

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Black, Blue, Brown, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Silver

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Layered and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Not Yet Used

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

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Not Yet Used

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)

Used in aquariums, Writing Slates

Types

Boninite and Jasperoid

Mica Schists, Calc-Silicate Schists, Graphite Schists, Blueschists, Whiteschists, Greenschists, Hornblende Schist, Talc Schist, Chlorite Schist, Garnet Schist, Glaucophane schist.

Features

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

Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

Fossils

Present

Absent

Formation

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

Schist formed by dynamic metamorphism at high temperatures and pressures that aligns the grains of mica, hornblende and other elongated minerals into thin layers.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides

Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc

Compound Content

NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Not Applicable

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Not Applicable

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-4

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous and Pearly

Shiny

Compressive Strength

140.00 N/mm²

Not Available

Cleavage

Perfect

Slaty

Toughness

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.8-3

2.5-2.9

Transparency

Transparent to Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Morocco, Namibia

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland

Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Mexico, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Dolomite and Schist Properties

Know all about Dolomite and Schist properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dolomite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Schist belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Dolomite is Earthy whereas that of Schist is Foliated, Platy. Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly and Schist appears Layered and Shiny. The luster of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly while that of Schist is shiny. Dolomite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Schist is available in black, blue, brown, dark brown, green, grey, silver 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 Schist are used in aquariums, writing slates.