Dunite and Dolomite

Dunite

Dolomite

Dolomite and Dunite

Definition

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

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

History

Origin

New Zealand

Southern Alps, France

Discoverer

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Dolomieu

Etymology

From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

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

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Earthy

Color

Dark Greenish - Grey

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Rough and Shiny

Glassy or Pearly

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Not Yet Used

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

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

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Not Available

Boninite and Jasperoid

Features

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Not Applicable

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Not Applicable

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-4

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Shiny

Vitreous and Pearly

Compressive Strength

107.55 N/mm²

140.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Imperfect

Perfect

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

3-3.01

2.8-3

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Transparent to Translucent

Density

2.84-2.85 g/cm³

2.8-2.9 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.25 kJ/Kg K

0.92 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

China, India

Africa

Morocco, South Africa

Morocco, Namibia

Europe

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Mexico, USA

South America

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Brazil, Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Dunite and Dolomite Properties

Know all about Dunite and Dolomite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dunite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Dolomite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Dunite is Phaneritic whereas that of Dolomite is Earthy. Dunite appears Rough and Shiny and Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Dunite is shiny while that of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Dolomite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds and that of Dolomite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).