Definition
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone
History
Origin
-
-
Discoverer
William Smith
Unknown
Etymology
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
From quartz + -ite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
Volcanic
-
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Foliated, Granular
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Rounded and Rough
Lustrous
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Types
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite
Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Present
Absent
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.
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.
Composition
Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
3-46-7
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Pearly to Shiny
Vitreous
Compressive Strength
40.00 N/mm2115.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
Indiscernible
Toughness
1
1.9
Specific Gravity
-99992.6-2.8
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
-9999 g/cm32.32-2.42 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.65 kJ/Kg K0.75 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Europe
United Kingdom
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
-
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Bahamas, Canada, USA
South America
Colombia
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia