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
  
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
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
  
Glassy or Pearly
  
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
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
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
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Not Applicable
  
Erosion
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Not Applicable
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
3.5-4
  
3.5-4
  
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Irregular
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Shiny
  
Vitreous and Pearly
  
Compressive Strength
107.55 N/mm2
  
19
140.00 N/mm2
  
15
Cleavage
Imperfect
  
Perfect
  
Toughness
2.1
  
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
  
6
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
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
  
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
  
Dunite vs Dolomite 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. Dunite vs Dolomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dunite and Properties of Dolomite. Learn more about Dunite vs Dolomite in the next section. The interior uses of Dunite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Dolomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Dunite and Dolomite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Dunite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Dolomite 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.
More about Dunite and Dolomite
Here you can know more about Dunite and Dolomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dunite and Dolomite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Dunite includes Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Dolomite includes Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Dunite vs Dolomite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Dolomite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Dunite is Rough and Shiny and that of Dolomite is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dunite vs Dolomite. Hardness of Dunite and Dolomite is 3.5-4. The types of Dunite are Not Available whereas types of Dolomite are Boninite and Jasperoid. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Dunite and Dolomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Dunite is 1.25 kJ/Kg K and that of Dolomite 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.Dunite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Dolomite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.