Travertine

Diatomite

Travertine and Diatomite

Travertine

Diatomite

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Definition

Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters

Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth

History

Origin

Italy

Germany

Discoverer

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Unknown

Etymology

From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy

From diatom + -ite1

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Color

Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow

Grey, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Non-Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Fibrous

Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery

Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper

Types

Thermal Travertine and Tufa

Diatomite

Features

Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock

Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Formation

Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.

Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.

Composition

Mineral Content

Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz

Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand

Compound Content

Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen

Ca, NaCl, CaO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-41

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Splintery

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull to Pearly

Dull

Compressive Strength

80.00 N/mm²-

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

1.682.3-2.4

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.71 g/cm³2.49-2.51 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.09 kJ/Kg K0.90 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, Russia

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

Africa

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

Europe

Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom

England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

All about Travertine and Diatomite Properties

Know all about Travertine and Diatomite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Travertine and Diatomite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Travertine is Banded whereas that of Diatomite is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Travertine appears Fibrous and Diatomite appears Soft. The luster of Travertine is dull to pearly while that of Diatomite is dull. Travertine and Diatomite are available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Travertine are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, paper industry, pottery and that of Diatomite are alumina refineries, animal feed filler, as a feed additive for livestock, creating artwork, drawing on blackboards, fire resistant, gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, in aquifers, soil conditioner, to ignite fire, used as a filter medium, used as an insecticide, whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper.