Oolite

Soapstone

Oolite vs Soapstone

Oolite

Soapstone

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Definition

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

It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

William Smith

Unknown

Etymology

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

From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Polished

Color

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

Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rounded and Rough

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping

Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite

Metamorphic rock

Features

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

Host Rock for Lead

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire

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.

Soapstone is a talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock and it is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich inmagnesium.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

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

CaO, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-41

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Pearly to Shiny

Greasy

Compressive Strength

40.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

-99992.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

-9999 g/cm³2.8-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.65 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand

Africa

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

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

United Kingdom

Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland

Oolite vs Soapstone Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Oolite and Soapstone Reserves. Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite. It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Oolite vs Soapstone information and Oolite vs Soapstone characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Oolite vs Soapstone Characteristics

Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Oolite vs Soapstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Oolite and Properties of Soapstone. Learn more about Oolite vs Soapstone in the next section. The interior uses of Oolite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Oolite and Soapstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Oolite in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping and that of Soapstone include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.

More about Oolite and Soapstone

Here you can know more about Oolite and Soapstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Oolite and Soapstone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Oolite includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt and mineral content of Soapstone includes Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Oolite vs Soapstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors whereas, Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Oolite is Rounded and Rough and that of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Oolite vs Soapstone. The hardness of Oolite is 3-4 and that of Soapstone is 1. The types of Oolite are Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite whereas types of Soapstone are Metamorphic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Oolite is white while that of Soapstone is black. The specific heat capacity of Oolite is 0.65 kJ/Kg K and that of Soapstone is 0.88 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Oolite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Soapstone is heat resistant, pressure resistant.