Definition
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone
History
Origin
-
-
Discoverer
William Smith
Unknown
Etymology
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
From Pelos or clay in Greek
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
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
Foliated
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Rounded and Rough
Banded
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
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Metamorphic rock
Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest 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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Composition
Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of 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
3-45-6
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Fibrous
Streak
White
-
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Pearly to Shiny
Earthy
Compressive Strength
40.00 N/mm240.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
1
-
Specific Gravity
-99993.4-3.7
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm30-300 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.65 kJ/Kg K0.72 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
-
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Western Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
-
South America
Colombia
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Central Australia, Western Australia