Definition
Marl is an unconsolidated sedimentary rock consisting of clay and lime
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate
Origin
Unknown
New Zealand
Discoverer
Unknown
Belsazar Hacquet
Etymology
From Old French marle, from Late Latin marglia
From lime and stone in late 14th Century
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Beige, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Gold, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Linen, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone, Source of calcium
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner
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
Types
Clay Marl ,Blue Marl, Red Marl, High Bank Marl, Shell Layer Marl, Under Shell Layer Marl, Sand Marl, Green Marl, Grey Marl and Clayey Marl
Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Splintery, Very fine grained rock
Host Rock for Lead, Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
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
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India
Formation
Marl forms when very fine-grained clay particles are deposited in water which settles at the bottom of water bodies and are compacted by overlying sediment; the water squeezes out and hence forming Marl rock.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which is mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Dolomite, Gypsum, Micas, Pyrite, Quartz
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Splintery
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull to Pearly
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
2.3-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
2.3-2.7 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Pakistan, Russia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Marl vs Limestone 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. Marl vs Limestone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Marl and Properties of Limestone. Learn more about Marl vs Limestone in the next section. The interior uses of Marl include Decorative aggregates and Floor tiles whereas the interior uses of Limestone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Marl and Limestone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Marl in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Limestone include Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Production of glass and ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone, Source of calcium.
More about Marl and Limestone
Here you can know more about Marl and Limestone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Marl and Limestone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Marl includes Calcite, Clay, Dolomite, Gypsum, Micas, Pyrite, Quartz and mineral content of Limestone includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Marl vs Limestone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Marl is available in beige, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas, Limestone is available in beige, black, blue, brown, cream, gold, green, grey, light green, light grey, linen, pink, red, rust, silver, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Marl is Rough and Dull and that of Limestone is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Marl vs Limestone. The hardness of Marl is 2-3 and that of Limestone is 3-4. The types of Marl are Clay Marl ,Blue Marl, Red Marl, High Bank Marl, Shell Layer Marl, Under Shell Layer Marl, Sand Marl, Green Marl, Grey Marl and Clayey Marl whereas types of Limestone are Chalk, Coquina, Fossiliferous Limestone, Lithographic Limestone, Oolitic Limestone, Travertine, Tufa. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Marl and Limestone is white. The specific heat capacity of Marl is Not Available and that of Limestone is 0.91 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Marl is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Limestone is pressure resistant.