Limestone: a Sedimentary Marvel

Limestone is a sedimentary rock that comes in a large composition of mineral calcite. This stone also contains considerable amounts of silica in the form of chert or flint, certain amounts of clay, silt and sand. The main source of the calcite in limestone is organisms found in the sea. These organisms give out shells that settle out of the water in a coral reef.

Speleothems are produced with this process. You would be surprised to hear that limestone makes up about ten percent of the total volume of all sedimentary rocks.

Limestone is used for several purposes. One of the most popular uses of limestone is in architecture. You can find the use of this material in several landmarks around the world such as in North America and Europe. You must have heard of famous buildings in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. These were constructed with limestone. Hence, the nicknames of these buildings is common – ‘Limestone City’.

This stone is widely available and very easy to cut into blocks and carved. Limestone possesses longevity and has the potential to withstand harsh environment. The material is very heavy and this makes it a difficult stone for constructing tall buildings. It was not very popular in earlier days due to its cost.

Limestone gained popularity in the early 20th and the late 19th centuries. You would find several train stations, banks and other structures from that era made from limestone.

Indiana, in the United States has been an excellent source of high quality quarried limestone. This variety is known as Indiana limestone. Several eminent buildings in London are made from Portland limestone.

If you study about the middle ages, you will come to know that limestone has always been an ideal choice for building block. The reason is that this stone possesses durability and sturdiness. Several churches and castles in Europe are made of limestone. Beer stone was a popular type of limestone for medieval buildings in southern part of England.

Limestone is reactive to acid solutions. Several limestone statues and building surfaces have been damaged due to acid rain caused by this reaction. Limestone should only be cleaned with a neutral or mild alkaline based cleaner.

Here are some of the most common uses of limestone:

a) Limestone is used in the manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime.
b) Cement and mortar.
c) Crushed limestone can be used as aggregate (solid base for roads).
d) Limestone is widely used in glass making and toothpaste preparation.
e) Pulverized limestone makes a good soil conditions. It works towards neutralizing acidic soil conditions.
f) Landscape construction and cement manufacture are most common uses of limestone.

Limestone does not require any maintenance. The stone is cheap and very effective. The material is widely quarried for roadbeds, building and landscape construction and cement manufacturer. Limestone is an ideal choice for flooring and building blocks due to its simple structure. It consists of subtle patterning and comes in plate and neutral colors. These features make this stone a good choice for kitchen flooring.