Definition
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
Blueschist is a metamorphic rock which is generally blue in color and is formed under conditions of high pressure and low temperature
Discoverer
William Smith
Edgar Bailey
Etymology
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Foliated
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Blue, Bluish - Grey, Purple, Shades of Blue
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rounded and Rough
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
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-
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Tombstones
Types
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Metamorphic rock
Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
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.
Blueschist forms due to the metamorphism of basalt and other rocks with similar composition at high pressures and low temperatures and approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 500 °C.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Albite, Chlorite, Epidote, Garnet, Glaucophane, Lawsonite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
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-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Pearly to Shiny
Dull
Specific Gravity
-9999
3-3.2
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Japan, Turkey
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
France, Greece, Iceland
Deposits in Western Continents
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
New Zealand
All about Oolite and Blueschist Properties
Know all about Oolite and Blueschist properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Oolite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Blueschist belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Oolite is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Blueschist is Foliated. Oolite appears Rounded and Rough and Blueschist appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Oolite is pearly to shiny while that of Blueschist is dull. Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors whereas Blueschist is available in blue, bluish - grey, purple, shades of blue colors. The commercial uses of Oolite are creating artwork, jewelry, used in aquariums and that of Blueschist are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling, tombstones.