Different Types of Limestone
Limestone is a type of sedimentary rock that is made up of different forms of calcium carbonate known as calcite and aragonite. Limestone is most commonly found in areas that are occupied or formerly occupied by clear, warm and shallow saltwater. It forms as a result of a buildup of coral, shell and algal debris in the ocean. Limestone is often found as a source of construction materials for buildings and homes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Chalk
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Chalk is a type of white, soft and finely grained limestone. Chalk is mainly made up of the skeletal remains of microscopic marine organisms like foraminifera and bivalves. Large sources of chalk can be found on the cliff faces on the shores of France and England. Chalk can be used in the mortars of building, as fingerprint powder and is the source of chalk for blackboards and sidewalks.
Coquina
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Coquina is a type of limestone that is mainly composed of debris from broken up sea shells from oysters, mollusks and even pieces of coral. Coquina is mainly found on the coasts of Florida, Australia and New Zealand where the waves help fuse the shell fragments. This type of limestone is sometimes used in fertilizer and as material for paved roads.
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Travertine
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Travertine is a type of limestone that is formed when water with calcium carbonate drips through limestone. This form of limestone leads to the creation of stalactites and stalagmites and happens in caverns and caves. Travertine is an extremely porous material and can easily absorb moisture. It is used in the exterior walls of buildings and is one of the materials that was used in the Roman Colosseum.
Lithographic Limestone
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Lithographic limestone is a very hard and dense type of limestone that is extremely smooth and fine-grained. It was originally used during the 1700s as a way to mass produce images through lithography. A negative image of a design was etched onto the stone which was then covered in ink. Paper was then pressed onto the stone which then reproduced the image. New lithographic technology eventually developed, which led to the disuse of the limestone.
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References
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