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Serpentinite and Oolite


Oolite and Serpentinite


Definition

Definition
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.  
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 English word serpentinization.  
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, Medium Hardness Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
-  
Volcanic  

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

Texture

Texture
Earthy  
Clastic or Non-Clastic  

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

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
No  

Scratch Resistant
No  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
No  
No  

Acid Resistant
No  
No  

Appearance
Rough and Dull  
Rounded and Rough  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings  
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, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture  
Artifacts  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork  
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums  

Types

Types
Jadeitite  
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

Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite 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
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides  
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt  

Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur  
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
No  

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism  
-  

Weathering
No  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
-  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-5  
3-4  

Grain Size
Very fine-grained  
Fine Grained  

Fracture
Uneven  
Conchoidal  

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey  
White  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
Waxy and Dull  
Pearly to Shiny  

Compressive Strength
310.00 N/mm2  
2
40.00 N/mm2  
40

Cleavage
-  
-  

Toughness
7  
1  

Specific Gravity
2.79-3  
-9999  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.5-3 g/cm3  
-9999 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.95 kJ/Kg K  
9
0.65 kJ/Kg K  
25

Resistance
Heat Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea  
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam  

Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa  
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe  

Europe
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom  
United Kingdom  

Others
-  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada  
USA  

South America
Colombia  
Colombia  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia  
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula  

Summary >>
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All about Serpentinite and Oolite Properties

Know all about Serpentinite and Oolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Serpentinite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Oolite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Serpentinite is Earthy whereas that of Oolite is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Serpentinite appears Rough and Dull and Oolite appears Rounded and Rough. The luster of Serpentinite is waxy and dull while that of Oolite is pearly to shiny. Serpentinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Serpentinite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Oolite are creating artwork, jewelry, used in aquariums.

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