Definition
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Tephrite is an aphanitic to porphyritic textured, volcanic igneous rock
Origin
Southern Alps, France
Germany
Discoverer
Dolomieu
Van Tooren
Etymology
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock
From Greek tephra, ashes from Indo-European base, to burn
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
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
Landscaping
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture
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)
Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner
Types
Boninite and Jasperoid
Igneous rock
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.
Tephrite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
Bluish Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous and Pearly
Subvitreous to Dull
Cleavage
Perfect
Crenulation and Pervasive
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.86
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Morocco, Namibia
Namibia, Uganda
Europe
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Mexico, USA
USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
New Zealand, Western Australia