Definition
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
History
Origin
USA
-
Discoverer
Unknown
William Smith
Etymology
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
-
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Quench
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Rounded and Rough
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Types
Cataclastic rock
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Present
Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
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.
Composition
Mineral Content
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
73-4
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Pearly to Shiny
Compressive Strength
60.00 N/mm240.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
1
Specific Gravity
2.46-2.86-9999
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.9 g/cm3-9999 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K0.65 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
South Korea
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Western Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Great Britain, Switzerland
United Kingdom
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
-
USA
South America
-
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula