Definition
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture
Origin
Southern Alps, France
Tonale, Italy
Discoverer
Dolomieu
Unknown
Etymology
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock
From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
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
Phaneritic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Not Yet Used
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)
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Boninite and Jasperoid
Dacite
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits
Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not 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.
When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.
Mineral Content
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
NaCl, CaO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
Bluish Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous and Pearly
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.86-3
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.73 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India
Not Yet Found
Africa
Morocco, Namibia
Egypt
Europe
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Mexico, USA
USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
Dolomite vs Tonalite 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 Tonalite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dolomite and Properties of Tonalite. Learn more about Dolomite vs Tonalite in the next section. The interior uses of Dolomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Tonalite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Dolomite and Tonalite, 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 Tonalite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Dolomite and Tonalite
Here you can know more about Dolomite and Tonalite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dolomite and Tonalite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Dolomite includes Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides and mineral content of Tonalite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Dolomite vs Tonalite, 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, Tonalite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors. Appearance of Dolomite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Tonalite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dolomite vs Tonalite. The hardness of Dolomite is 3.5-4 and that of Tonalite is 6-7. The types of Dolomite are Boninite and Jasperoid whereas types of Tonalite are Dacite. 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 Tonalite is bluish black. The specific heat capacity of Dolomite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Tonalite is 0.92 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 Tonalite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.
