sedimentary
Fossiliferous Limestone
Biogenic Sedimentary Rock (Calcium Carbonate with Fossils)
Hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale, typically white, gray, or tan with visible fossil impressions such as crinoids or brachiopods, dull to earthy luster, calcite crystal structure.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale, typically white, gray, or tan with visible fossil impressions such as crinoids or brachiopods, dull to earthy luster, calcite crystal structure.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the accumulation and compaction of organic carbonate debris, shell fragments, and skeletal remains in marine environments over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Used in construction, cement production, crushed stone, and as decorative landscape or architectural stone; prized by fossil collectors.
Geological facts
Many famous historical buildings and monuments, including parts of the Great Pyramids of Giza, are constructed from fossiliferous limestone.
Field identification & locations
Can be identified by testing with dilute hydrochloric acid (it will fizz due to the presence of calcium carbonate) and by observing visible fossil structures embedded in the rock matrix.
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