Materials - Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock consisting largely of calcium carbonate (CaCO), usually in the form of the mineral . It may be produced biologically, chemically, or physically. Most of the world’s ocean floors contain limestone that formed from the shells of dead marine organisms (such as ) that drifted downwards through the water and settled on the sea floor. Coquina and are also organic forms of limestone. However, limestone may also be produced chemically, being forced to precipitate out from saturated seawater that can dissolve no more carbonate. In rarer instances it may also be produced physically, by the deposition of pre-existing limestone particles that have been washed down by rivers, although rivers would probably dissolve much of the limestone that entered them.

Limestone may contain a small percentage of the calcium-magnesium carbonate mineral dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2, and still be called a limestone, or sometimes dolomitic limestone. Moreover, unlike chalk, a particularly pure form of limestone, “limestone” may contain significant amounts of non-carbonate material such as silica, feldspar, clay, or pyrite.

Metamorphosed limestone is known as marble, however, not all the so-called marble is of true limestone origin.

The simple beauty and warmth imparted by limestone makes it an ideal medium for exterior facades as well as internal wall cladding and paving.

We include below a palette of some of our most popular materials. This display is not extensive as there are many others to choose from that are available to us from worldwide resources.

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Materials - Limestone