Dolomite
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- Dolomiteis the name of
a sedimentary carbonate rock and a mineral, both composed of calcium
magnesium carbonate CaMg(CO3)2 found in crystals.
- Dolomite rock (also
dolostone) is composed predominantly of the mineral dolomite.
- It forms white, gray
to pink, commonly curved crystals, although it is usually massive.
- It has physical
properties similar to those of the mineral calcite, but does not rapidly
dissolve or effervesce (fizz) in dilute hydrochloric acid unless it is
scratched or in powdered form.
- Dolomite occurs in a
different crystal class than the Calcite Group.
- Dolomite is generally
formed from limestone by dolomitisation, a diagenetic process involving
replacement of calcium in the calcite with magnesium.
- Limestone and dolomite
are mined by opencast methods and sold either in bulk, powder or slurry form
- Dolomite formed in
relation to organic-rich marine sediments has been termed organogenic
dolomite.
- This type of dolomite
is thought to be directly related to the diagenetic processes of sulfate
reduction, methane oxidation, and methanogenesis.
- Dolomite is used as an
ornamental stone, a concrete aggregate and as a source of magnesium oxide.
- Dolomite is used to
make magnesia, which has important medicinal applications.
- Dolomite is used for
manufacturing certain types of refractory bricks used in steel making.
- Dolomite is also used
in some cements, as a source of magnesium. Of course Dolomite is also used
as mineral specimens.
- It is also an
important petroleum reservoir rock and a host rock for large strata-bound
base metal (lead, zinc, copper) deposits.
- Significant uses of
mined limestone and dolomite in Pennsylvania include crushed stone for
roads, concrete, and railroads; agricultural lime and grit; the manufacture
of cement; fluxstone and refractory materials for the steel industry; acid
neutralization; raw material for the glass industry; and mineral fillers and
whiting.
- Amongst the
non-metallic minerals production in India, more than 90 percent of the
aggregate value is shared by limestone, magnesite, dolomite, barytes,
kaolin, gypsum, apatite & phosphorite, steatite and fluorite.
- The dimension-stone
market for all rock types is increasingly shifting away from imports of
unprocessed rock blocks towards slabs and finished goods.
- Slate, diabase,
quartzite, and soapstone were quarried in the Piedmont province; slate was
the leading stone I type quarried, in terms of volume and value
- The bulk of dolomite
in the world is used for aggregates. Though it is not economical, magnesium
can be also extracted from dolomite. In the medical front, it is used for
milk-of-magnesia preparation and there are also claims that it could be used
as a magnesium supplement pills.
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