Definition
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
Origin
Southern Alps, France
Indonesia
Discoverer
Dolomieu
Cornish Gossen
Etymology
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Rough, Sandy
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving 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
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
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)
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone
Types
Boninite and Jasperoid
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
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.
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.
Mineral Content
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
-
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Vitreous and Pearly
Metallic
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.0
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Morocco, Namibia
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
Dolomite vs Gossan 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 Gossan characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dolomite and Properties of Gossan. Learn more about Dolomite vs Gossan in the next section. The interior uses of Dolomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Dolomite and Gossan, 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 Gossan include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Dolomite and Gossan
Here you can know more about Dolomite and Gossan. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dolomite and Gossan consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Dolomite includes Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides and mineral content of Gossan includes Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Dolomite vs Gossan, 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, Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. Appearance of Dolomite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Gossan is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dolomite vs Gossan. The hardness of Dolomite is 3.5-4 and that of Gossan is 4-5. The types of Dolomite are Boninite and Jasperoid whereas types of Gossan are Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Dolomite is white while that of Gossan is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Dolomite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Gossan is 0.24 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 Gossan is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.