Limestone vs Dolostone: What Are They, And What's The Difference?

When it comes to limestone and dolostone, many people think they are the same thing but they are not.

While there are many several similarities between the two, there are also just as many differences.

Limestone vs Dolostone (EXPLAINED)

About 20 to 25 percent of all sedimentary rock is carbonate rock with the majority of it being limestone.

The rest of this type of rock is predominantly dolomite, which is a very similar rock to limestone.

What is Limestone?

Limestone is this sedentary rock in a valuable resource that comes from the earth.

It is made of calcite and aragonite so in other words, it is a carbonate sedimentary rock that contains calcium.

It can also contain some amount of magnesium carbonate which is dolomite as well along with quartz, pyrite, feldspar, clay, in iron carbonate.

It is found in large amounts near the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Huron.

Limestone is formed when these types of minerals come out of the water and contain dissolved calcium.

This can take place biologically or through non-biological processes at different types of factories in limestone processing mills.

The biological processes have been happening over the course of the last 540 million years.

Limestone can also contain fossils which scientists have studied Anne has provided them with information on ancient civilizations in even the evolution of life.

Limestone has many uses and can be used as a building material, a major component of concrete, a white pigment or even a filler in products that we use every day such as toothpaste or certain types of paints, and it’s even used as an aggregate for the base of the type of material that is used to build in repave roads and streets.

It can also be used as a soil conditioner at your home so your plants and fruits and vegetables will grow better in your gardens, and it is even produced as a popular decorative rock that is added to beautiful rock gardens at homes and businesses.

Limestone formations also provide about 30 percent of the world’s petroleum reservoirs.

When limestone is used in the production of cement it is he did to create powdered limestone with clay and that cement is used in concrete as well as mortar.

What is Dolostone?

Like limestone, dolomite is also a sedimentary rock. It is made up mainly of the mineral dolomite.

Dolomite is also referred to as dolostone or dolomite rock.

It can be found in sedimentary basins throughout the world.

It is believed that dolomite forms when limestones are modified or lime muds are changed by a post deposit chemical change.

It is not often found from being formed by sedimentary environments. This process of formation is known as dolomotization.

Dolomite Alps, located in northern Italy, is a great place to find dolostone, hence the name of these mountains.

It can also be found in dolomite marbles as well as other dolomite-rich environments.

Dolomite is often used as a source of magnesium metal.

It is also used as a resource for magnesia, which is a component in refractory bricks.

It can even be used, and often is, in the place of limestone as an aggregate in both cement as well as bitumen mixes.

It is also used as a component in blast-type furnaces.

According to the United States Department of Health, dolomite contains a certain amount of crystalline silica, which studies have shown can be damaging to the lungs or even cause cancer if a person breaths it in.

It can also cause skin irritation and can be very irritating to the eyes.

In other words, it is best to wear a mask when mining dolomite since the dust from it can be harmful.

Similarities Between Limestone and Dolostone

There are many similarities between and dolostone which is the reason that people get the two confused.

They are very similar rocks and they are formed in pretty much the same color ranges of white to gray or white to light brown.

They can both also form in other colors including red, black, in green.

They both sport the same amount of hardness and are both soluble and diluted hydrochloric acid.

They are also both we’ve used by cutting and crushing them as materials in the construction of buildings and roads and for their ability to be able to neutralize acids.

Limestone and Dolostone

The same way there are many similarities between limestone and dolostone, there are also many differences.

For one thing, limestone is a calcium carbonate material while dolomite is made of calcium magnesium carbonate.

There are things found in limestone that are not found in dolostone such as clay, sand, and silt.

Limestone costs more money to purchase than dolomite because it costs more to mine it or create it.

Also, limestone is basically made up of fragments of fossils while dolostone is mostly made of crystalline.

Limestone Metaphysical Properties and Meaning

Limestone is considered to be an assisting stone since other crystals can grow within it and it is used by practitioners to enhance healing properties.

It is thought to encourage purification, grounding, and centering.

It is also believed to encourage positive thoughts and even remind of us our pure innocence as human beings.

Limestone works well as part of the Root Chakra and is thought to be great for overall health and well-being.

Dolostone Metaphysical Properties and Meaning

Dolomite is used by practitioners to invigorate the entire chakra system of a person while also grounding us within the physical realm.

It is believed to help a person gain more balance in their life since its energies are primarily focused on our physical body as well as our emotional state of mind.

Since it is a mineral that is rooted into the core of the earth, practitioners use it to help facilitate a person being able to tap into Mother Earth’s energies.

Wrap Up

And, there you have it. While dolostone and limestone boast some amount of differences, the two stones are very similar in many ways.

They can be used for similar things as well as very different ones but are both very important in our world today.