Limestone

Oolite

Limestone and Oolite

Limestone

Oolite

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Definition

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate

Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite

History

Origin

New Zealand

Discoverer

Belsazar Hacquet

William Smith

Etymology

From lime and stone in late 14th Century

From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Color

Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Gold, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Linen, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow

Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Banded

Rounded and Rough

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone, Source of calcium

Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping

Medical Industry

In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

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

Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums

Types

Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa

Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite

Features

Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits

Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

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

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Formation

Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.

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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-43-4

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Splintery

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Dull to Pearly

Pearly to Shiny

Compressive Strength

115.00 N/mm²40.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.3-2.7-9999

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.3-2.7 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.91 kJ/Kg K0.65 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

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Resistance

Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

Africa

Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Europe

United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

All about Limestone and Oolite Properties

Know all about Limestone and Oolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Limestone and Oolite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Limestone is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Oolite is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Limestone appears Rough and Banded and Oolite appears Rounded and Rough. The luster of Limestone is dull to pearly while that of Oolite is pearly to shiny. Limestone and Oolite 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 Oolite are creating artwork, jewelry, used in aquariums.