Definition
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture
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 Latin word novacula, for razor stone
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
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
Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone, Spear Points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
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, Gemstone, In aquifers, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, Manufacture of tools, Pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, To determine the gold content of jewelry
Types
Boninite and Jasperoid
Not Available
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, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.
Novaculite forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The formation of Novaculite can be either of chemical or biological origin.
Mineral Content
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Quartz, Silicon
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
Ca, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous and Pearly
Waxy and Dull
Cleavage
Perfect
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.5-2.7
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Morocco, Namibia
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Mexico, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Dolomite vs Novaculite 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 Novaculite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dolomite and Properties of Novaculite. Learn more about Dolomite vs Novaculite in the next section. The interior uses of Dolomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Novaculite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Dolomite and Novaculite, 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 Novaculite include Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of glass and ceramics, Rail track ballast, Roadstone, Spear points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons.
More about Dolomite and Novaculite
Here you can know more about Dolomite and Novaculite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dolomite and Novaculite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Dolomite includes Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides and mineral content of Novaculite includes Quartz, Silicon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Dolomite vs Novaculite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Dolomite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. Appearance of Dolomite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Novaculite is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dolomite vs Novaculite. The hardness of Dolomite is 3.5-4 and that of Novaculite is 7. The types of Dolomite are Boninite and Jasperoid whereas types of Novaculite are Not Available. 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 Novaculite is colorless. The specific heat capacity of Dolomite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Novaculite is 0.74 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 Novaculite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.