Definition
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.
Origin
New Zealand
Indonesia
Discoverer
Belsazar Hacquet
Cornish Gossen
Etymology
From lime and stone in late 14th Century
From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Rough, Sandy
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Gold, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Linen, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow
Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Dull and Banded
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, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, 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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
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, Gemstone
Types
Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa
Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
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
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India
Not Applicable
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Splintery
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Metallic
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Not Available
Toughness
1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.3-2.7
2.0
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.3-2.7 g/cm3
Not Available
Resistance
Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia
Limestone vs Gossan 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 Gossan characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Limestone and Properties of Gossan. Learn more about Limestone vs Gossan in the next section. The interior uses of Limestone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Gossan include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Limestone and Gossan, 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 Gossan include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Limestone and Gossan
Here you can know more about Limestone and Gossan. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Limestone and Gossan consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Limestone includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt and mineral content of Gossan includes Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Limestone vs Gossan, 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, Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors. Appearance of Limestone is Rough and Banded and that of Gossan is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Limestone vs Gossan. The hardness of Limestone is 3-4 and that of Gossan is 4-5. The types of Limestone are Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa whereas types of Gossan are Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Limestone is white while that of Gossan is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Limestone is 0.91 kJ/Kg K and that of Gossan is 0.24 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 Gossan is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.