Limestone

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral

calcite (calcium carbonate: CaCO3).

Contents
■ 1 Description
■ 2 Limestone landscape
■ 3 Uses of limestone
■ 4 Notes
■ 5 References
■ 6 See also
Limestone cropping at São
Pedro de Moel beach, Marinha
Grande, Portugal.
Description
Limestone often contains variable amounts of silica in the form of chert
or flint, as well as varying amounts of clay, silt and sand as
disseminations, nodules, or layers within the rock. The primary source
of the calcite in limestone is most commonly marine organisms. These
organisms secrete shells that settle out of the water column and are
deposited on ocean floors as pelagic ooze or alternatively are
conglomerated in a coral reef (see lysocline for information on calcite
dissolution). Secondary calcite may also be deposited by supersaturated Iron impregnations in
limestone
meteoric waters (groundwater that precipitates the material in caves).
This produces speleothems such as stalagmites and stalactites. Another
form taken by calcite is that of oolites (oolitic limestone) which can be
recognized by its granular appearance.

Limestone makes up about 10% of the total volume of all sedimentary

rocks.[1][2] Limestones may also form in both lacustrine and evaporite
depositional environments[3][4].

Calcite can be either dissolved by groundwater or precipitated by

groundwater, depending on several factors including the water
temperature, pH, and dissolved ion concentrations. Calcite exhibits an
unusual characteristic called retrograde solubility in which it becomes
less soluble in water as the temperature increases.
A stratigraphic section of
Ordovician limestone exposed
When conditions are right for precipitation, calcite forms mineral in central Tennessee, U.S. The
coatings that cement the existing rock grains together or it can fill less-resistant and thinner beds
fractures. are composed of shale

Karst topography and caves develop in carbonate rocks due to their

solubility in dilute acidic groundwater. Cooling groundwater or mixing
of different groundwaters will also create conditions suitable for cave formation.
Coastal limestones are often eroded by organisms which bore into the rock by various means. This
process is known as bioerosion. It is most common in the tropics, and it is known throughout the fossil
record (see Taylor and Wilson, 2003).

Because of impurities, such as clay, sand, organic remains, iron oxide and other materials, many
limestones exhibit different colors, especially on weathered surfaces. Limestone may be crystalline,
clastic, granular, or massive, depending on the method of formation. Crystals of calcite, quartz, dolomite
or barite may line small cavities in the rock. Folk and Dunham classifications are used to describe
limestones more precisely.

Travertine is a banded, compact variety of limestone formed along streams, particularly where there are
waterfalls and around hot or cold springs. Calcium carbonate is deposited where evaporation of the water
leaves a solution that is supersaturated with chemical constituents of calcite. Tufa, a porous or cellular
variety of travertine, is found near waterfalls. Coquina is a poorly consolidated limestone composed of
pieces of coral or shells.

During regional metamorphism that occurs during the mountain building process (orogeny) limestone
recrystallizes into marble.

Limestone is a parent material of Mollisol soil group.

Limestone landscape
Limestone is partially soluble, especially in acid, and therefore forms many erosional landforms. These
include limestone pavements, pot holes, cenotes, caves and gorges. Such erosion landscapes are known
as karsts. Limestone is less resistant than most igneous rocks, but more resistant than most other
sedimentary rocks. Limestone is therefore usually associated with hills and downland and occurs in
regions with other sedimentary rocks, typically clays.

Bands of limestone emerge from the Earth's surface in often spectacular rocky outcrops and islands.
Examples include the Burren in Co. Clare, Ireland; the Verdon Gorge in France; Malham Cove in North
Yorkshire and the Isle of Wight[5], England; on Fårö near the Swedish island of Gotland, the Niagara
Escarpment in Canada/United States, Notch Peak in Utah, and the Ha Long Bay National Park in
Vietnam.

Unique habitats are found on alvars, extremely level expanses of limestone with thin soil mantles. The
largest such expanse in Europe is the Stora Alvaret on the island of Oland, Sweden. Another area with
large quantities of limestone is the island of Gotland, Sweden. Huge quarries in northwestern Europe,
such as those of Mount Saint Peter (Belgium/Netherlands), extend for more than a hundred kilometers.

The world's largest limestone quarry is at Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company in Rogers City,
Michigan.[6]

Uses of limestone
Limestone is very common in architecture, especially in North America and Europe. Many landmarks
across the world, including the pyramids in Egypt, are made of limestone. So many buildings in
Kingston, Ontario, Canada were constructed from it that it is nicknamed the 'Limestone City'. [7] On the
island of Malta, a variety of limestone called Globigerina limestone was for a long time the only building
material available, and is still very frequently used on all types of buildings and sculptures. Limestone is
readily available and relatively easy to cut into blocks or more elaborate carving. It is also long-lasting
and stands up well to exposure. However, it is a very heavy material, making it impractical for tall
buildings, and relatively expensive as a building material.
Limestone was most popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Train stations, banks and other structures from that era are normally
made of limestone. Limestone is used as a facade on some skyscrapers,
but only in thin plates for covering rather than solid blocks. In the
United States, Indiana, most notably the Bloomington area, has long
been a source of high quality quarried limestone, called Indiana
limestone. Many famous buildings in London are built from Portland
limestone.

Limestone was also a very popular building block in the Middle Ages in
the areas where it occurred since it is hard, is durable, and commonly
occurs in easily accessible surface exposures. Many medieval churches
and castles in Europe are made of limestone. Beer stone was a popular
kind of limestone for medieval buildings in southern England.
Courthouse built of limestone
in Manhattan, Kansas
Limestone and marble are very reactive to acid solutions, making acid
rain a significant problem. Many limestone statues and building surfaces
have suffered severe damage due to acid rain. Acid-based cleaning
chemicals can also etch limestone, which should only be cleaned with a
neutral or mild alkaline-based cleaner.

Other uses include:

■ The manufacture of quicklime (calcium oxide) and slaked lime

(calcium hydroxide);
■ Cement and mortar; A limestone plate with a
■ Pulverized limestone is used as a soil conditioner to neutralize negative map of Moosburg in
acidic soil conditions; Bavaria is prepared for a
lithography print
■ Crushed for use as aggregate—the solid base for many roads;
■ Geological formations of limestone are among the best petroleum
reservoirs;
■ As a reagent in desulfurizations;
■ Glass making, in some circumstances;
■ Added to paper, plastics, paint, tiles, and other materials as both white pigment and a cheap filler.
■ Toothpaste
■ Suppression of methane explosions in underground coal mines
■ Added to bread and cereals as a source of calcium

Notes
1. ^ "Calcite (http://www.mine-engineer.com/mining/mineral/calcite.htm) ". Retrieved on 2008-02-13.
3. ^ "Limestone (mineral) (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565838/Limestone_(mineral).html) ".
Retrieved on 2008-02-13.
4. ^ [1] (http://jgs.lyellcollection.org:/cgi/content/abstract/156/3/535) |Trewin,N.H. & Davidson,R.G. 1999. Lake
-level changes, sedimentation and faunas in a Middle Devonian basin-margin fish bed, Journal Geological
Society, 156, 535-548
1. ^ Oilfield Glossary: Term 'evaporite' (http://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/Display.cfm?Term=evaporite)
1. ^ "Isle of Wight, Minerals
(http://www.iwight.com/council/documents/policies_and_plans/udp/2002_pdfs/minerals.pdf) ". Retrieved on
2006-10-08.
3. ^ Michigan Markers (http://www.michmarkers.com/startup.asp?startpage=S0214.htm)
0. ^ "Welcome to the Limestone City (http://www.citylifeontario.com/kingston/) ". Retrieved on 2008-02-13.

References
■ Taylor, P.D. and Wilson, M.A., 2003. Palaeoecology and evolution of marine hard substrate
communities. Earth-Science Reviews 62: 1-103.[2] (http://www.wooster.edu/geology/Taylor%
26Wilson2003.pdf)
See also
■ List of types of limestone
■ Chalk
■ Coral sand
■ Calcium carbonate
■ In Praise of Limestone

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Categories: Sedimentary rocks | Limestone
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