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Oolite and Wehrlite


Wehrlite and Oolite


Definition

Definition
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite   
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Egypt   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Alois Wehrle   

Etymology
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime   
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Plutonic   

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

Texture

Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic   
Banded   

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

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Rounded and Rough   
Rough and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   

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
Not Yet Used   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping   
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
NA   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums   
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock   
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   

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   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
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.   
Wehrlite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt   
Pyroxene   

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-4   
5.5-6   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Irregular   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Pearly to Shiny   
Metallic   

Cleavage
Non-Existent   
Perfect   

Toughness
1   
2.1   

Specific Gravity
Not Available   
8.4   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
2.6-3.7 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.63 kJ/Kg K   
21

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam   
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey   

Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe   
Morocco, South Africa   

Europe
United Kingdom   
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Colombia   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Oolite and Wehrlite Properties

Know all about Oolite and Wehrlite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Oolite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Wehrlite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Oolite is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Wehrlite is Banded. Oolite appears Rounded and Rough and Wehrlite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Oolite is pearly to shiny while that of Wehrlite is metallic. Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors whereas Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. The commercial uses of Oolite are creating artwork, jewelry, used in aquariums and that of Wehrlite are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.

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