Home
Compare Rocks


Oolite and Kimberlite


Kimberlite and Oolite


Definition

Definition
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite   
Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Kimberley, South Africa   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime   
From Kimberley +‎ -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Volcanic   

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

Texture

Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic   
Porphyritic   

Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow   
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Rounded and Rough   
Dull and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used   
Curbing   

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   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, 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

Types
Not Available   
Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites   

Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock   
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Fossils
Present   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Kimberlite is an igneous rock and is the main source of diamonds. Its formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface between 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt   
Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO   
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional 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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-4   
6-7   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine to Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Very Less Porous   

Luster
Pearly to Shiny   
Subvitreous to Dull   

Cleavage
Non-Existent   
Conchoidal   

Toughness
1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
Not Available   
2.86-2.87   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
2.95-2.96 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe   
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa   

Europe
United Kingdom   
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Antarctica   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Colombia   
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula   
New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Oolite and Kimberlite Properties

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

Compare Sedimentary Rocks

Fossil Rocks

Fossil Rocks

» More Fossil Rocks

Compare Sedimentary Rocks

» More Compare Sedimentary Rocks