Definition
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase
Origin
New Zealand
Unknown
Discoverer
Belsazar Hacquet
Alexandre Brongniart
Etymology
From lime and stone in late 14th Century
From Amphibole + -ite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Gold, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Linen, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Foliated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone, Source of calcium
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
Medical Industry
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
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
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa
Hornblendite
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
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
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Splintery
Irregular to Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Vitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Irregular
Specific Gravity
2.3-2.7
2.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.3-2.7 g/cm3
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Russia, Turkey
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Europe
United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
South Australia, Western Australia
All about Limestone and Amphibolite Properties
Know all about Limestone and Amphibolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Limestone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Limestone is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive. Limestone appears Rough and Banded and Amphibolite appears Foliated. The luster of Limestone is dull to pearly while that of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull. Limestone and Amphibolite are 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 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 and that of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.