Definition
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
From a Latin word tophous then in Italian tufo and finally tuff
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Clastic, Pyroclastic
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Brown, Grey, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rounded and Rough
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.
Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
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.
Tuff is formed when large masses of ash and sand which are mixed with hot gases are ejected by a volcano and avalanche rapidly down its slopes.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Calcite, Chlorite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Pearly to Shiny
Vitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Not Available
Toughness
1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
Not Available
2.73
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
1-1.8 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
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
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda
Europe
United Kingdom
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
South America
Colombia
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Central Australia, Western Australia
Oolite vs Tuff 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 Tuff characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Oolite and Properties of Tuff. Learn more about Oolite vs Tuff in the next section. The interior uses of Oolite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Tuff include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Oolite and Tuff, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Oolite in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping and that of Tuff include Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate.
More about Oolite and Tuff
Here you can know more about Oolite and Tuff. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Oolite and Tuff consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Oolite includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt and mineral content of Tuff includes Calcite, Chlorite. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Oolite vs Tuff, 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, Tuff is available in brown, grey, yellow colors. Appearance of Oolite is Rounded and Rough and that of Tuff is Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Oolite vs Tuff. The hardness of Oolite is 3-4 and that of Tuff is 4-6. The types of Oolite are Not Available whereas types of Tuff are Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Oolite and Tuff is white. The specific heat capacity of Oolite is Not Available and that of Tuff is 0.20 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 Tuff is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.