sedimentary

Banded Limestone

Calcareous sedimentary rock (CaCO3)

Hardness: 3 on the Mohs scale. Color: Tan, beige, brown with visible parallel banding or laminations. Luster: Dull to earthy. Crystal structure: Microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline calcite. Specific gravity: 2.7 - 2.9.

Hardness: 3 on the Mohs scale
Luster: Dull to earthy

Identified July 29, 2026More sedimentary →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the accumulation and compaction of mineral or organic debris (such as shell and coral fragments) or chemical precipitation in marine environments over millions of years.

Uses & applications

Used in construction as crushed stone for road base, in the production of cement, for building stone, and as a soil conditioner in agriculture.

Geological facts

Limestone often preserves fossils of ancient marine life. The distinct bands in this specimen indicate fluctuating environmental conditions or seasonal deposition rates during its formation in a shallow sea.

Field identification & locations

Can be easily identified in the field by its characteristic reaction to hydrochloric acid (fizzing due to the release of carbon dioxide) and its relatively soft hardness of 3. Found worldwide in sedimentary basins and ancient sea beds.

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