Definition
A ganister is a hard, fine-grained quartzose sandstone or orthoquartzite which is basically used in the manufacture of silica brick typically used to line furnaces and is a type of sedimentary rocks.
  
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate
  
History
  
  
Origin
England
  
New Zealand
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Belsazar Hacquet
  
Etymology
From gan′is-ter i.e a hard, close-grained siliceous stone, often forming the stratum which underlies a coal-seam
  
From lime and stone in late 14th Century
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Rough
  
Clastic or Non-Clastic
  
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
  
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Gold, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Linen, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough
  
Rough and Banded
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
  
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone, Source of calcium
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
  
Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Paper Industry, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, Soil Conditioner, Used in aquariums, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
  
Types
Not Available
  
Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Acropolis of Athens in Greece, Agia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Big Ben in London, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Chichen Itza in Mexico, Empire State Building in New York, Khajuraho Temples, India, Kremlin in Moscow, Louvre in Paris, France, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Potala Palace in Lahasa, Tibet, Wailing Wall in Jerusalem
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Present
  
Present
  
Formation
Ganisters are formed by the destruction of easily weathered minerals mainly feldspar, within the surface horizon of soil by soil-forming processes.
  
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
  
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
3-4
  
Grain Size
Coarse or Fine
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Splintery
  
Splintery
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Dull to Pearly
  
Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm2
  
20
115.00 N/mm2
  
18
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
2.6
  
1
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
2.3-2.7
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
  
2.3-2.7 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
0.91 kJ/Kg K
  
11
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Pressure Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
  
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
  
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
United Kingdom
  
Others
Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Colombia
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
  
All about Ganister and Limestone Properties
Know all about Ganister and Limestone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Ganister and Limestone belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Ganister is Clastic, Granular, Rough whereas that of Limestone is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Ganister appears Rough and Limestone appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Ganister is dull while that of Limestone is dull to pearly. Ganister is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors whereas Limestone is available in beige, black, blue, brown, cream, gold, green, grey, light green, light grey, linen, pink, red, rust, silver, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Ganister are an oil and gas reservoir, in aquifers, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones and that of Limestone are animal feed filler, as a feed additive for livestock, paper industry, raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, soil conditioner, used in aquariums, whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper.