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Limestone vs Oolite


Oolite vs Limestone


Definition

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  
Sedimentary Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
-  
Volcanic  

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic  
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
More  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
No  
No  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
No  
No  

Acid Resistant
No  
No  

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

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  
Present  

Formation

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  
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
No  
No  

Types of Metamorphism
-  
-  

Weathering
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-4  
3-4  

Grain Size
Fine Grained  
Fine Grained  

Fracture
Splintery  
Conchoidal  

Streak
White  
White  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Dull to Pearly  
Pearly to Shiny  

Compressive Strength
115.00 N/mm2  
27
40.00 N/mm2  
40

Cleavage
-  
-  

Toughness
1  
1  

Specific Gravity
2.3-2.7  
-9999  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.3-2.7 g/cm3  
-9999 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.91 kJ/Kg K  
11
0.65 kJ/Kg K  
25

Resistance
Pressure Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

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

Europe
United Kingdom  
United Kingdom  

Others
-  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA  
USA  

South America
Colombia  
Colombia  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula  
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula  

Definition >>
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Limestone vs Oolite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Limestone and Oolite Reserves. 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. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Limestone vs Oolite information and Limestone vs Oolite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Limestone vs Oolite 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 Oolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Limestone and Properties of Oolite. Learn more about Limestone vs Oolite in the next section. The interior uses of Limestone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Oolite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Limestone and Oolite, 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 Oolite include Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping.

More about Limestone and Oolite

Here you can know more about Limestone and Oolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Limestone and Oolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Limestone includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt and mineral content of Oolite includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Limestone vs Oolite, 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, Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Limestone is Rough and Banded and that of Oolite is Rounded and Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Limestone vs Oolite. Hardness of Limestone and Oolite is 3-4. The types of Limestone are Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa whereas types of Oolite are Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Limestone and Oolite is white. The specific heat capacity of Limestone is 0.91 kJ/Kg K and that of Oolite is 0.65 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 Oolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.

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