What are the rocks in Sri Lanka?

The common rocks used for the production of aggregates in Sri Lanka are hornblende biotite gneisses, biotite gneiss, charnockite and charnockitic gneiss, migmatite, and granitic gneiss.

What do all limestones have in common?

Limestone is by definition a rock that contains at least 50% calcium carbonate in the form of calcite by weight. All limestones contain at least a few percent other materials. These can be small particles of quartz, feldspar, or clay minerals delivered to the site by streams, currents and wave action.

How big is Sri Lanka?

25,332 mi²Sri Lanka / Area

What are the minerals found in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is well-endowed with industrial minerals including Graphite, Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon, Quartz, Feldspar, Clay, Kaolin, Apatite (Phosphate Rock), Silica Sand, Garnet sand, Mica, Calcite and Dolomite. Pulmoddai beach sand deposit is the most important non-ferrous mineral reserve in Sri Lanka to date.

What are the sedimentary rocks Sri Lanka?

There are recent sedimentary formations, identified as Pleistocene Deposits in a few locations. Intruding the metamorphic rocks of Sri Lanka are some granites, dolerites, pegmatites, quartz veins and a carbonatite [6].

What is special about limestone?

The stone has the unique property of retrograde solubility, meaning that the stone is less soluble in water as the temperature increases. Limestone is also classified as a young marble formed from the consolidation of seashells and sediment.

What is limestone good for?

It is the raw material for the manufacture of quicklime (calcium oxide), slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), cement and mortar. Pulverized limestone is used as a soil conditioner to neutralize acidic soils (agricultural lime). Is crushed for use as aggregate—the solid base for many roads as well as in asphalt concrete.

Does limestone break easily?

This rock has already a brittle structure, which causes break-ups and dissolves. Inherent weakness in the stone itself or the gradual breakdown of the binder used for building it and the external factors are the main reasons which affect the durability and strength of the limestone and which finally cause crumbling.