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
Dunite vs Oolite 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 Oolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dunite and Properties of Oolite. Learn more about Dunite vs Oolite in the next section. The interior uses of Dunite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Oolite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Dunite and Oolite, 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 Oolite include Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping.
More about Dunite and Oolite
Here you can know more about Dunite and Oolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dunite and Oolite 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 Oolite includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Dunite vs Oolite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. 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. Appearance of Dunite is Rough and Shiny and that of Oolite is Rounded and Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dunite vs Oolite. The hardness of Dunite is 3.5-4 and that of Oolite is 3-4. The types of Dunite are Dunite whereas types of Oolite are Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Dunite and Oolite is white. The specific heat capacity of Dunite is 1.25 kJ/Kg K and that of Oolite is 0.65 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 Oolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.