Definition
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
Discoverer
Belsazar Hacquet
Alois Wehrle
Etymology
From lime and stone in late 14th Century
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Banded
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Gold, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Linen, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, 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
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, Cobblestones
Medical Industry
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
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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, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa
Ultramafic rock
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
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
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Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India
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Formation
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
Wehrlite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
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Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Splintery
Irregular
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Metallic
Specific Gravity
2.3-2.7
8.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.3-2.7 g/cm3
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Morocco, South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
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 Zealand, Western Australia
Limestone vs Wehrlite 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 Wehrlite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Limestone and Properties of Wehrlite. Learn more about Limestone vs Wehrlite in the next section. The interior uses of Limestone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Wehrlite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Limestone and Wehrlite, 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 Wehrlite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones.
More about Limestone and Wehrlite
Here you can know more about Limestone and Wehrlite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Limestone and Wehrlite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Limestone includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt and mineral content of Wehrlite includes Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Limestone vs Wehrlite, 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, Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. Appearance of Limestone is Rough and Banded and that of Wehrlite is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Limestone vs Wehrlite. The hardness of Limestone is 3-4 and that of Wehrlite is 5.5-6. The types of Limestone are Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa whereas types of Wehrlite are Ultramafic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Limestone and Wehrlite is white. The specific heat capacity of Limestone is 0.91 kJ/Kg K and that of Wehrlite is 0.63 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 Wehrlite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.