Definition
Siltstone can be defined as a fine-grained sedimentary rock which mainly consists of consolidated silt
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Origin
-
Southern Alps, France
Discoverer
Unknown
Dolomieu
Etymology
From English word silt and stone and from Proto-Indo-European root sal and stainaz
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Brown, Red, Reddish Brown
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock
Medical Industry
-
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Soil Conditioner
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Siltstone
Boninite and Jasperoid
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Very fine grained rock
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Siltstone is a type of sedimentary rock which is formed from fine rock particles. As the particles of eroded rock travel along with water, the edges of the rock are worn-out by water into a rounded shape.
Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
-
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Vitreous and Pearly
Specific Gravity
2.54-2.73
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.6-2.7 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
China, India
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Morocco, Namibia
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
Siltstone vs Dolomite 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. Siltstone vs Dolomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Siltstone and Properties of Dolomite. Learn more about Siltstone vs Dolomite in the next section. The interior uses of Siltstone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Dolomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Siltstone and Dolomite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Siltstone in construction industry include Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Dolomite include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics, Serves as an oil and gas reservoir rock.
More about Siltstone and Dolomite
Here you can know more about Siltstone and Dolomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Siltstone and Dolomite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Siltstone includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt and mineral content of Dolomite includes Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Siltstone vs Dolomite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Siltstone is available in brown, red, reddish brown colors whereas, Dolomite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Siltstone is Rough and that of Dolomite is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Siltstone vs Dolomite. The hardness of Siltstone is 6-7 and that of Dolomite is 3.5-4. The types of Siltstone are Siltstone whereas types of Dolomite are Boninite and Jasperoid. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Siltstone and Dolomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Siltstone is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Dolomite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Siltstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Dolomite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.