sedimentary
Fossiliferous Limestone
Bioclastic Limestone (CaCO3)
Hardness: 3-4 (Mohs scale), Color: tan to light grayish-brown, Luster: dull to earthy, Structure: clastic/fragmental with visible shells and crinoid stems, Reacts with HCl.
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Fossiliferous Limestone in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 3-4 (Mohs scale), Color: tan to light grayish-brown, Luster: dull to earthy, Structure: clastic/fragmental with visible shells and crinoid stems, Reacts with HCl.
Formation & geological history
Formed in shallow, calm, warm marine waters from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal, and fecal debris. These rocks often date back hundreds of millions of years to the Paleozoic or Mesozoic eras.
Uses & applications
Used in construction as a building material, as a component of cement, for soil neutralization in agriculture, and as a source for lime.
Geological facts
This specimen appears to contain crinoid stem fragments and small shell impressions. Visible fossils suggest it was part of an ancient sea floor preserved over geological time.
Field identification & locations
Identify by looking for visible fossil fragments and testing with a drop of vinegar (weak acid) to see if it fizzes. Commonly found in areas that were once covered by ancient inland seas.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Sedimentary Sandstone
Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)
sedimentary
Fossiliferous Concretion
Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids
fossil
Shale
Shale (clastic sedimentary rock)
sedimentary
Brown Sandstone (River Rock)
Arenite
sedimentary
Shale
Argillaceous sedimentary rock
sedimentary