Dolomite is an organic sedimentary rock which is composed of small sea fossils. This rock type is less permeable than limestone due to the crystallization of the organic components. Moreover due to this aspect this rock type has a small increase in hardness and decrease in solubility in HCL. To distinguish this rock type from limestone chemical research is required.

Characteristics

Some factors on which it can be recognized:

  • The texture is clastic.
  • The clasts are not visible with the naked eye and smaller than 0.06 mm.
  • It is a medium soft rock with a toughness of 3.5 to 4.
  • Its color is white-to-gray and white-to-light brown.
  • It calcite components are chemically changed to dolomite components.
  • It is smooth to touch.

References

Dolomite

450px-Dolomite_classification.jpg

ImageLimestone graph image

image.jpg

GroupOrganic sedimentary rock
TextureCoarse crystalline
Clasts<0.06mm
HardnessMedium soft
ColorWhite-to-gray and white-to-light brown
MineralsDolomite
TouchSmooth
ImageDolomite image
 
TerraIndex