Limestone

Sandstone

Limestone and Sandstone

Limestone

Sandstone

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Definition

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

Sandstone is defined as a rock which is composed of sand-sized grains of various minerals mostly of uniform size and often are smooth and rounded

History

Origin

New Zealand

Discoverer

Belsazar Hacquet

Unknown

Etymology

From lime and stone in late 14th Century

From its composition, sand and stone

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Clastic, Granular, Rough

Color

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

Beige, Black, Brown, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Banded

Rough

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

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, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

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

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums

Types

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

Grey Sandstones, Crystallized Sandstones, Hard Sandstones , Carbonate Cemented Sandstones and Ganister

Features

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

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, 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

Abu Simbel in Egypt, Agia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Buland Darwaza in Agra, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Dom in Berlin, Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt, Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, India, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, India, India Gate in Delhi, India, Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, Khajuraho Temples, India, Leh Palace in Leh, India, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India, Luxor Temple in Egypt, Machu Picchu in Peru, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Petra in Jordan, Qutb Minar in India, Red Fort in Delhi, India, Sanchi Stupa in India

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

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

Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, US

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Formation

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

Sandstone is a sedimentary rock which forms from cemented sand-sized clasts. It forms when sand layers are buried under sediments of sand.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz

Compound Content

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

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-46-7

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Coarse or Fine

Fracture

Splintery

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull to Pearly

Dull

Compressive Strength

115.00 N/mm²95.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.3-2.72.2-2.8

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.3-2.7 g/cm³2.2-2.8 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.91 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

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Resistance

Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan

Africa

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

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

United Kingdom

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

New South Wales, New Zealand

All about Limestone and Sandstone Properties

Know all about Limestone and Sandstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Limestone and Sandstone belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Limestone is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Sandstone is Clastic, Granular, Rough. Limestone appears Rough and Banded and Sandstone appears Rough. The luster of Limestone is dull to pearly while that of Sandstone is dull. Limestone is available in beige, black, blue, brown, cream, gold, green, grey, light green, light grey, linen, pink, red, rust, silver, white, yellow colors whereas Sandstone is available in beige, black, brown, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, 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 Sandstone are an oil and gas reservoir, in aquifers, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones, used in aquariums.