Definition
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Hochstetter
William Smith
Etymology
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Rounded and Rough
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Types
Dunite
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.
Oolites form when layers of calcite are deposited around a sand grain or fossil piece and are rolled around in calm water, which makes them round.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Pearly to Shiny
Specific Gravity
3-3.01
-9999
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.84-2.85 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
All about Dunite and Oolite Properties
Know all about Dunite and Oolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dunite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Oolite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Dunite is Phaneritic whereas that of Oolite is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Dunite appears Rough and Shiny and Oolite appears Rounded and Rough. The luster of Dunite is shiny while that of Oolite is pearly to shiny. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds and that of Oolite are creating artwork, jewelry, used in aquariums.