
Where is limestone found state any two uses of limestone?
- for making cement-heated with clay in kiln.
- In glass making industry-heated with sand and soda (sodium bicarbonate).
- To neutralize exess acidity- Limestone, quicklime and slaked lime are all used to neutralise excess acidity - which may be caused by acid rain - in lakes and in soils.
Where is limestone found?
Where is Limestone Found? Geologists have identified numerous limestone-forming environments around the globe. Most of them are in shallow waters between 30º N latitude and 30º S latitude. Most popular shallow water areas include the Caribbean Sea, Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Where is limestone used?
It can be used as a building material. It is used in the production of cement by heating powdered limestone with clay. Cement is an ingredient in mortar and concrete. Mortar – used to join bricks together – is made by mixing cement with sand and water.
Where is limestone found in India?
Rajasthan was the leading producing state accounting for (21%) of the total production of limestone, followed by Madhya Pradesh & Andhra Pradesh (11% each), Chhattisgarh & Karnataka (10% each), Gujarat,Tamil Nadu & Telangana (8% each), Maharashtra & Himachal Pradesh (4% each), and the remaining 5% was contributed by ...
What is the use of limestone Class 10?
Limestone is the basic raw material for the cement ^ industry and essential for smelting iron ore in the blast furnace in a steel plant.
What are the two uses of limestone?
Limestone is a source of lime (calcium oxide), which is used in steel manufacturing, mining, paper production, water treatment and purification, and plastic production. Lime also has major applications in the manufacture of glass and in agriculture.
How is limestone formed and where is it found?
Most fresh water and sea water contain dissolved calcium carbonate. All limestones are formed when the calcium carbonate crystallizes out of solution or from the skeletons of small sea urchins and coral.
What is limestone used for in India?
The total amount of limestone in India is estimated to be 93,623 million tonnes. Limestones are widely used in the production of cement and building materials, particularly flooring and roofing.
Where is limestone found in West Bengal?
Limestone which is used in cement industry is mined in Bankura, Purulia, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri. There are copper mines in Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. Small quantities of low quality iron-ore are mined in Bardhaman, Purulia, Birbhum and Darjeeling.
Where is limestone found in Gujarat?
Good quality of limestone is quarried in certain parts of Saurashtra,, Lakhpat, Kheda and in Banaskantha districts of Gujarat.
Is limestone used in making of Taj Mahal?
In building and decorative stones – Limestone has been used in construction since ancient times. Taj Mahal, the exquisite marble structure in Agra, India is an example of the usage of limestone in artistic accomplishments.
Is limestone used in toothpaste?
Many toothpaste manufacturers use limestone in their toothpaste. Most toothpaste includes abrasives, binders, foaming agents, detergents, including limestone. The limestone content in toothpaste functions as a moderate abrasive, filler, and as a thickening agent.
Where did limestone originate?
Limestone is usually a biological sedimentary rock, forming from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal, fecal, and other organic debris. It can also form by chemical sedimentary processes, such as the precipitation of calcium carbonate from lake or ocean water.
What is limestone used for?
These walls may be used to surround an entire property, a pool, or a garden. Additionally, limestone is a popular material for fountains, stairs, and door surrounds. For an added touch, match your property’s exterior ...
Why use limestone countertops?
Limestone countertops are known to be highly resistant to heat and humidity and can last a lifetime if cared for properly.
What is limestone flooring?
Limestone Flooring. Limestone is an ideal natural stone flooring option, whether indoors or outdoors. Limestone flooring, often referred to as limestone pavers, are used in bathrooms, kitchens, entryways, and mudrooms most often. As an interior option, limestone is not only beautiful but easy to maintain, especially in spaces ...
Is limestone a natural stone?
Limestone is a natural stone known for its versatility — hence its use in a multitude of home features. This stone comes in tons of colors and textures and is capable of being used anywhere in your home without disrupting aesthetics. However, color isn’t the only versatility that limestone shows. In addition to its rainbow-esc selection, limestone ...
Is limestone good for outdoor living?
As an interior option, limestone is not only beautiful but easy to maintain, especially in spaces that experience high foot traffic and messes. Outside, limestone’s airy natural and generally light color helps reflect light, keeping outdoor spaces like patios nice and cool.
Where is limestone used in the ocean?
Uses of Limestone. A Limestone-Forming Environment: An underwater view of a coral reef system from the Kerama Islands in the East China Sea southwest of Okinawa. Here the entire seafloor is covered by a wide variety of corals which produce calcium carbonate skeletons.
What is limestone made of?
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcite, a calcium carbonate mineral with a chemical composition of CaCO 3. It usually forms in clear, calm, warm, shallow marine waters. Limestone is usually a biological sedimentary rock, forming from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal, fecal, and other organic debris.
What is a fossilized limestone?
Fossiliferous limestone is a limestone that contains obvious and abundant fossils. They are usually marine invertebrates such as brachiopods, crinoids, mollusks, gastropods, and coral. These are the normal shell and skeletal fossils found in many types of limestone.
What is the name of the metamorphic rock that forms when limestone is subjected to the heat and pressure of
Marble is the name of the metamorphic rock that forms when limestone is subjected to the heat and pressure of metamorphism. It is composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3) and usually contains other minerals that might include clay minerals, micas, quartz, pyrite, iron oxide, and graphite.
What happens when limestone is subjected to heat, pressure, and chemical activity?
When limestone is subjected to heat, pressure, and chemical activity, the calcite in the rock begins to transform. This is the beginning of the process known as metamorphism. Starting at a microscopic scale, the calcium carbonate in the rock begins to crystallize or recrystallize into fine-grained calcite crystals.
What is the name of the limestone that forms from an accumulation of calcareous shell remains of microscopic marine
Chalk is the name of a limestone that forms from an accumulation of calcareous shell remains of microscopic marine organisms such as foraminifera. It can also form from the calcareous remains of some marine algae.
What rock is found in caves?
If droplets fall to the floor and evaporate there, stalagmites could eventually grow upwards from the cave floor. The limestone that makes up these cave formations is known as "travertine," a chemical sedimentary rock.
Why is limestone important?
Limestone is a huge industrial material that is in constant demand. This raw material was and has been essential in the iron and steel industry since the nineteenth century. Companies never had a shortage of limestone, however it was a concern as the demand continued to increase and in fact is still in high demand today. The major potential threats back in the nineteenth century were regional availability and accessibility. The two main accessibility issues were transportation and property rights. Other problems were high capital costs on plants and facilities due to environmental regulations and the requirement of zoning and mining permits. These two dominant factors lead to the adaptation and selection of other materials that were created and formed to design alternatives for limestone that suited economic demands.
What are the grains of limestone?
The grains of most limestones are embedded in a matrix of carbonate mud. This is typically the largest fraction of an ancient carbonate rock. Mud consisting of individual crystals less than 5 microns in length is described as micrite. In fresh carbonate mud, micrite is mostly small aragonite needles, which may precipitate directly from seawater, be secreted by algae, or be produced by abrasion of carbonate grains in a high-energy environment. This is converted to calcite within a few million years of deposition. Further recrystallization of micrite produces microspar, with grains from 5 to 15 microns in diameter.
What percentage of sedimentary rock is carbonate?
About 20% to 25% of sedimentary rock is carbonate rock, and most of this is limestone. The remaining carbonate rock is mostly dolomite, a closely related rock, which contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite, CaMg (CO. 2.
How much crushing strength does limestone have?
Although relatively soft, with a Mohs hardness of 2 to 4, dense limestone can have a crushing strength of up to 180 MPa. For comparison, concrete typically has a crushing strength of about 40 MPa.
Why is it so hard to remove graffiti from limestone?
Removing graffiti from weathered limestone is difficult because it is a porous and permeable material. The surface is fragile so usual abrasion methods run the risk of severe surface loss. Because it is an acid-sensitive stone some cleaning agents cannot be used due to adverse effects.
How is dolomite formed?
Much dolomite is secondary dolomite, formed by chemical alteration of limestone. Limestone is exposed over large regions of the Earth's surface, and because limestone is slightly soluble in rainwater, these exposures often are eroded to become karst landscapes. Most cave systems are found in limestone bedrock.
Where is the Limestone Outcrop?
Limestone outcrop in the Torcal de Antequera nature reserve of Málaga, Spain. Composition. Calcium carbonate: inorganic crystalline calcite or organic calcareous material. La Zaplaz formations in the Piatra Craiului Mountains, Romania. Limestone is a common type of carbonate sedimentary rock. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite ...
What is limestone used for?
Limestone is also used to manufacture cement , which is used for the construction of houses. To produce cement, the rock is combined with other materials, such as sand, after which the mixture is put in a kiln and heated.
Why is limestone used in water pipes?
Limestone is usually added to pipes carrying purified water. The limestone works to increase the alkaline levels of these pure waters , at the same time restoring the essential mineral levels. This helps to protect the pipes from corroding.
What is lime made of?
Limestone is made up of calcium carbonate compounds. Calcium carbonate is an essential compound in the manufacture of agricultural lime, also known as ‘Aglime.’ This agricultural lime is used in the neutralization of soil acidity. ‘Aglime’ also frees us important soil minerals, such as different types of phosphates.
What are some examples of rocks?
The geographical part of the world consists of different types of rocks, which have found profound uses in human life. An example of such rocks is the limestone. The limestone rock falls under the category of sedimentary rocks, with its main composition being calcium carbonate element. It is mostly found in warm and shallow marine water bodies. This calcium carbonate (CaCO3) rock makes a major part of human life.
What is the purpose of flux stone?
Flux Stone. Limestone that has been crushed can be used to refine and smelt metals. When used for smelting, the calcium carbonate rock reacts with impurities in the metal, combining with them, and the combination removed in the form of slag. 8.)
How does limestone help with air pollution?
Controlling Air Pollution. Limestone is used as one of the reagents in the desulfurization process. In this process, the limestone reacts with sulfur dioxide in the air. Since sulfur dioxide causes air pollution, its reaction with limestone helps to minimize air pollution. 21.)
Is limestone a soft compound?
Calcium carbonate present in limestone is a soft compound. Its soft nature gives its application in the making of beautiful carvings and statues. Furthermore, limestone is resistant to acidity, so using it to make statues ensures that these remain highly durable for a long time.
What is limestone used for?
Certain varieties of limestone also serve as a building stone; they are widely used for flooring, exterior and interior facings, and monuments. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now.
What are the two primary sources of limestone?
Limestone has two origins: (1) biogenic precipitation from seawater, the primary agents being lime-secreting organisms and foraminifera; and (2) mechanical transport and deposition of preexisting limestones, forming clastic deposits. Travertine, tufa, caliche, chalk, sparite, and micrite are all varieties of limestone.
What is the name of the rock that is composed of calcium carbonate?
rock. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Limestone, sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), usually in the form of calcite or aragonite.
What temperature does limestone dissociate?
When heated to temperatures of 900 to 1,000 °C (1,650 to 1,800 °F), limestones will dissociate calcium carbonate and yield carbon dioxide and lime, the latter having major applications in the manufacture of glass and in agriculture.
Why is limestone important to scientists?
Limestone has long fascinated earth scientists because of its rich fossil content. Much knowledge of the Earth’s chronology and development has been derived from the study of fossils embedded in limestone and other carbonate rocks. Limestone also has considerable commercial importance.
What are the grains of limestone?
In many cases, the grains are microscopic fragments of fossil animal shells. Calico or laminated sandstone. Limestone has two origins: (1) biogenic precipitation from seawater, the primary agents being lime-secreting ...
What are sedimentary rocks?
sedimentary rock: Limestones and dolomites. Limestone s and dolomites are collectively referred to as carbonates because they consist predominantly of the carbonate minerals calcite (CaCO 3) and dolomite (CaMg [CO 3] 2 ).
What is Limestone?
Limestone is a type of sedimentary rock that is composed of calcium carbonate. The forms of calcium carbonate that make up limestone are either calcite or aragonite. By adding certain elements, certain rocks can form and behave slightly differently than pure limestone.
How is Limestone Formed?
Limestone can be formed in a few different ways. Because limestone's main characteristic is that it is a sedimentary rock made of calcium carbonate, there are a few possibilities for the formation of limestone.
Limestone Classification
Limestone can have a number of characteristics. Because of this, limestone has been classified in the past by geologists, such as Folk and Dunham.
Limestones: Word Scramble Activity
In this activity, you'll check your knowledge regarding the properties, types, and uses of limestones.
What is limestone used for?
Limestone Uses. It is the raw material for the manufacture of quicklime (calcium oxide), slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), cement and mortar. Pulverized limestone is used as a soil conditioner to neutralize acidic soils (agricultural lime).
Why is limestone used in roofing?
When roofing styles have texture, it is normally because of crushed limestone being added to the roofing tar. Animals can largely benefit from having limestone in their diet so it is often added to their feed.
What is the rock that is more than 50% calcium carbonate?
Limestone. Limestone is a sedimentary rock such as greater than 50% calcium carbonate ( calcite – CaCO3). There are many exceptional kinds of limestone formed thru a ramification of tactics.
What organisms remove calcium carbonate from the sea water to construct shells or skeletons?
crinoids. microscopic algae. shells. These organisms remove calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from the sea water to construct shells or skeletons. CaCo3 cement, which may be fine grained (called micrite) or coarse grained (called sparite), holds the fossils (such as coccoliths and foraminifera) together to form a limestone.
What are the additives in carbonate rocks?
Based on composition, there are three most important additives: allochems (grains), matrix (often micrite), and cement (sparite). The Folk gadget uses -element names; the primary refers back to the grains and the second is the root. It is useful to have a petrographic microscope when using the Folk scheme, because it’s miles easier to determine the additives found in every pattern
What is the color of limestone?
As calcite is the precept mineral thing of limestone, it will fizz in dilute hydrochloric acid. Colour: It can be yellow, white, or gray.
Where did calcareous dolomite come from?
Calcite, dolomite and aragonite are limestone minerals so where did they came from. It is a sedimentary rock. It forms predominantly on the sea floor where material rich in calcium carbonate (‘calcareous’ material) accumulates. This calcareous material may be organic, chemical or detrital in origin.

Formation
Geology
Composition
- Limestone is by definition a rock that contains at least 50% calcium carbonate in the form of calcite by weight. All limestones contain at least a few percent other materials. These can be small particles of quartz, feldspar, clay minerals, pyrite, siderite, and other minerals. It can also contain large nodules of chert, pyrite, or siderite.
Properties
- The calcium carbonate content of limestone gives it a property that is often used in rock identification - it effervesces in contact with a cold solution of 5% hydrochloric acid.
Names
- There are many different names used for limestone. These names are based upon how the rock formed, its appearance or its composition, and other factors. Here are some of the more commonly used varieties.
Uses
- Limestone is a rock with an enormous diversity of uses. It could be the one rock that is used in more ways than any other. Most limestone is made into crushed stone and used as a construction material. It is used as a crushed stone for road base and railroad ballast. It is used as an aggregate in concrete. It is fired in a kiln with crushed shale t...
Advantages
- Some varieties of limestone perform well in these uses because they are strong, dense rocks with few pore spaces. These properties enable them to stand up well to abrasion and freeze-thaw. Although limestone does not perform as well in these uses as some of the harder silicate rocks, it is much easier to mine and does not exert the same level of wear on mining equipment, crusher…
Other uses
- Limestone has many other uses. Powdered limestone is used as a filler in paper, paint, rubber, and plastics. Crushed limestone is used as a filter stone in on-site sewage disposal systems. Powdered limestone is also used as a sorbent (a substance that absorbs pollutants) at many coal-burning facilities.
Availability
- Limestone is not found everywhere. It only occurs in areas underlain by sedimentary rocks. Limestone is needed in other areas and is so important that buyers will pay five times the value of the stone in delivery charges so that limestone can be used in their project or process.
Overview
Limestone is a common type of carbonate sedimentary rock. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Limestone forms when these minerals precipitate out of water containing dissolved calcium. This can take place through both biological and nonbiological processes, though biological processes, such as t…
Description
Limestone is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2, is an uncommon mineral in limestone, and siderite or other carbonate minerals are rare. However, the calcite in limestone often contains a few percent of magnesium. Calcite in limestone is divided into low-magnesium and high-m…
Formation
Limestone forms when calcite or aragonite precipitate out of water containing dissolved calcium, which can take place through both biological and nonbiological processes. The solubility of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is controlled largely by the amount of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) in the water. This is summarized in the reaction:
Occurrence
About 20% to 25% of sedimentary rock is carbonate rock, and most of this is limestone. Limestone is found in sedimentary sequences as old as 2.7 billion years. However, the compositions of carbonate rocks show an uneven distribution in time in the geologic record. About 95% of modern carbonates are composed of high-magnesium calcite and aragonite. The aragonite needles in …
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 to erosion than most igneous rocks, but more resistant than most other sedimentary rocks. It is therefore usually associated with hills and downl…
Uses
Limestone is a raw material that is used globally in a variety of different ways including construction, agriculture and as industrial materials. Limestone is very common in architecture, especially in Europe and North America. Many landmarks across the world, including the Great Pyramid and its associated complex in Giza, Egypt, were made of limestone. So many buildings in Kingston,
See also
• Coral sand
• In Praise of Limestone – Poem by W. H. Auden
• Kurkar – Regional name for an aeolian quartz calcrete on the Levantine coast
• Limepit – Old method of calcining limestone
Further reading
• Boynton, Robert S. (1980). Chemistry and Technology of Lime and Limestone. Wiley. ISBN 0471027715.