Definition
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone
Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters
Origin
Pennines, England
Italy
Discoverer
J.J. Ferber
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
Etymology
From Grit + Stone
From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered and Foliated
Fibrous
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Construction Aggregate, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery
Types
Sedimentary rock
Thermal Travertine and Tufa
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
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Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
Formation
Gritstone is a type of sedimentary rock which was formed on the floors of wide river deltas where the grit deposits were laid down, with every tide or flood dumping another layer of sediment.
Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Splintery
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull to Pearly
Specific Gravity
2.250
1.68
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.2 g/cm3
2.71 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
China, Russia
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
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Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
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All about Gritstone and Travertine Properties
Know all about Gritstone and Travertine properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gritstone and Travertine belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Gritstone is Earthy whereas that of Travertine is Banded. Gritstone appears Layered and Foliated and Travertine appears Fibrous. The luster of Gritstone is dull while that of Travertine is dull to pearly. Gritstone is available in beige, black, brown, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors whereas Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Gritstone are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones and that of Travertine are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, paper industry, pottery.