Definition
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
Discoverer
Belsazar Hacquet
Unknown
Etymology
From lime and stone in late 14th Century
From Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Clastic
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Gold, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Linen, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Shiny and Rounded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Medical Industry
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, 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, In aquifers, Tombstones
Types
Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
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
Formation
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
NaCl, CaO
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Splintery
Uneven
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Non-Existent
Toughness
1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.3-2.7
2.86-2.88
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.3-2.7 g/cm3
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, 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
Not Yet Found
Greenland
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
New South Wales, New Zealand
Limestone vs Conglomerate Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Limestone vs Conglomerate characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Limestone and Properties of Conglomerate. Learn more about Limestone vs Conglomerate in the next section. The interior uses of Limestone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Conglomerate include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Limestone and Conglomerate, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Limestone in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Production of glass and ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone, Source of calcium and that of Conglomerate include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Limestone and Conglomerate
Here you can know more about Limestone and Conglomerate. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Limestone and Conglomerate consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Limestone includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt and mineral content of Conglomerate includes Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Limestone vs Conglomerate, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. 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, Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, rust, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Limestone is Rough and Banded and that of Conglomerate is Shiny and Rounded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Limestone vs Conglomerate. The hardness of Limestone is 3-4 and that of Conglomerate is 2-3. The types of Limestone are Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa whereas types of Conglomerate are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Limestone and Conglomerate is white. The specific heat capacity of Limestone is 0.91 kJ/Kg K and that of Conglomerate is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Limestone is pressure resistant whereas Conglomerate is heat resistant.