sedimentary
Limestone
Sedimentary Rock (Primarily CaCO3)
Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale; Color: White, gray, tan, yellow; Luster: Earthy to dull; Crystal structure: Microcrystalline or fine-grained; Specific gravity: 2.7
- Hardness
- 3 on Mohs scale
- Color
- White, gray, tan, yellow
- Luster
- Earthy to dull
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Limestone in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale; Color: White, gray, tan, yellow; Luster: Earthy to dull; Crystal structure: Microcrystalline or fine-grained; Specific gravity: 2.7
Formation & geological history
Formed through the accumulation of skeletal fragments of marine organisms like coral, algal, and foraminifera, or through chemical precipitation in shallow marine environments over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Used extensively in construction (as aggregate for roads, concrete, and cement), agriculture (soil conditioning), and industrial manufacturing.
Geological facts
Limestone often contains fossils of ancient sea creatures. Famous geological formations like the White Cliffs of Dover are made almost entirely of chalk, a soft variety of limestone.
Field identification & locations
Can be easily identified in the field by its characteristic effervescence (fizzing) when a drop of weak hydrochloric acid or vinegar is applied due to the release of carbon dioxide gas.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Fossiliferous Concretion
Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids
fossil
Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
sedimentary
Generic Pebble / Rock Fragment
Lithic fragment / Weathered rock
sedimentary
Banded Siltstone / Mudstone Pebble
Siltstone / Argillite
sedimentary
Sedimentary Sandstone
Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)
sedimentary