Dolomite

Diatomite

Dolomite vs Diatomite

Dolomite

Diatomite

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Definition

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

Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth

History

Origin

Southern Alps, France

Germany

Discoverer

Dolomieu

Unknown

Etymology

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

From diatom + -ite1

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

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

Grey, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Non-Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium

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)

Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper

Types

Boninite and Jasperoid

Diatomite

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

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.

Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.

Composition

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

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, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-41

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous and Pearly

Dull

Compressive Strength

140.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.8-32.3-2.4

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Transparent to Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.49-2.51 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.90 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat 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

England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

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, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

Dolomite vs Diatomite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Dolomite and Diatomite Reserves. Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight. Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Dolomite vs Diatomite information and Dolomite vs Diatomite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Dolomite vs Diatomite 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. Dolomite vs Diatomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dolomite and Properties of Diatomite. Learn more about Dolomite vs Diatomite in the next section. The interior uses of Dolomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diatomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Dolomite and Diatomite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Dolomite in construction industry include 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 and that of Diatomite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium.

More about Dolomite and Diatomite

Here you can know more about Dolomite and Diatomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dolomite and Diatomite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Dolomite includes Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides and mineral content of Diatomite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Dolomite vs Diatomite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Dolomite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Dolomite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Diatomite is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dolomite vs Diatomite. The hardness of Dolomite is 3.5-4 and that of Diatomite is 1. The types of Dolomite are Boninite and Jasperoid whereas types of Diatomite are Diatomite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Dolomite and Diatomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Dolomite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Diatomite is 0.90 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Dolomite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Diatomite is heat resistant.