Limestone

Soapstone

Limestone and Soapstone

Limestone

Soapstone

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Definition

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

It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc

History

Origin

New Zealand

USA

Discoverer

Belsazar Hacquet

Unknown

Etymology

From lime and stone in late 14th Century

From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Polished

Color

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

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Banded

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Jewellery, 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

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

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

Metamorphic rock

Features

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

Host Rock for Lead

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

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

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

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

Formation

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

Soapstone is a talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock and it is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich inmagnesium.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

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

CaO, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-41

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Splintery

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Dull to Pearly

Greasy

Compressive Strength

115.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.3-2.72.86

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.3-2.7 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.91 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand

Africa

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

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

United Kingdom

Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

All about Limestone and Soapstone Properties

Know all about Limestone and Soapstone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Limestone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Soapstone belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Limestone is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Soapstone is Polished. Limestone appears Rough and Banded and Soapstone appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Limestone is dull to pearly while that of Soapstone is greasy. 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 Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey 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 Soapstone are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, production of lime, source of magnesia (mgo).