Dolomite
Great Rock or Greatest Rock
By: Andy Gorman

Dolomite?! More like Dullomite!!!1lol
 Dolomite, named after the French geologist Deodat Gratet de
Dolomieu
 Dolomite is composed of Calcium, Magnesium, and Carbonate
(CaMg (CO3)2) and is classed as a carbonate. It’s crystal system
is trigonal- rhombohedral
 Dolomite forms from limestones that are rich in
 aragonite and calcite, which is formed into dolomite through a
process called diagenesis

Daignesis
 Diagenesis is all the biological, chemical, and
physical changes a sedimentary rock undergoes
from the time of deposition, until the time of
metamorphism is reached
 The changes dealt by diagnesis include
compaction, slumping, soft sediment
deformation, cementation, and replacement.
Many of these processes can result in lesser
porosity and permeability than the original stone

Dolomite forming?
 Large bodies of dolomite are formed by large
amounts of sea water with previously deposited
calcium carbonate.
 There are few areas today where dolomite is
forming.
 These areas include waters of high temperatures
and high sodium content.

The Dolomite Problem
 There is an anomaly with dolomite considering the small number
of marine depositional environments for dolomite verses the
relative abundance of it in the sedimentary rock record.
 . It is unknown the exact formation of dolomite, but many
scientists have tried to recreate the settings of dolomites
formation and attempt to explain the previous abundance of
Dolomite.
 Experiments lead scientists to believe that dolomitic
precipitation is limited by temperature and since the earth has
undergone great changes in temperature, there are less
environments for dolomites to form as opposed to ancient
times, where there were many depositional areas for dolomite.

Dolomite, awesome and nutritious
 The economic uses for dolomites can range
from various things such as:
 Vitamin suppliments
 Base for facial creams
 High optical refraction glass
 Cement mix

Dolomite and the economy
 Dolomite is also an ore bearing mineral,
containing such ores as copper, zinc and lead
 Since dolomite is a porous stone, it is also a
major petroleum bearing rock bed

Places we, as a class, have
encountered this enchanting rock
 There are many areas we have seen this rock of
rocks.
 The Oakes Quarry bore dolomites containing
crinoids, colonial corals, and stylolites.

 We’ve also found dolomite in Glen Helen,
mainly in the Cedarville formation
 This particular dolomite contained Pentamerus
brachiopods along with vugs, which are small
cavities created by erosional processes