Oolite

Dolomite

Oolite and Dolomite

Oolite

Dolomite

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Definition

Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite

Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight

History

Origin

Southern Alps, France

Discoverer

William Smith

Dolomieu

Etymology

From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime

From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Earthy

Color

Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rounded and Rough

Glassy or Pearly

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Industry

Construction Industry

Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite

Boninite and Jasperoid

Features

Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock

Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

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.

Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.

Composition

Mineral Content

Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt

Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO

NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-43.5-4

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Pearly to Shiny

Vitreous and Pearly

Compressive Strength

40.00 N/mm²140.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

-99992.8-3

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Transparent to Translucent

Density

-9999 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.65 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

China, India

Africa

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

Morocco, Namibia

Europe

United Kingdom

Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Mexico, USA

South America

Colombia

Brazil, Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula

All about Oolite and Dolomite Properties

Know all about Oolite and Dolomite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Oolite and Dolomite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Oolite is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Dolomite is Earthy. Oolite appears Rounded and Rough and Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Oolite is pearly to shiny while that of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly. Oolite and Dolomite are available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Oolite are creating artwork, jewelry, used in aquariums and that of Dolomite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).