# Limestone

Limestone is a light-colored rock that is made from tiny sea creatures' shells. It is very useful!

- **Category:** [Mineral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mineral)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Also known as:** Calcium Carbonate

![Limestone](https://media.snappit.app/site-media-v1/d7e21b882a7ed8481599aa59dd70b35f3eecfcb59aded3f47c0e834dc11ea2f2/image-560x560/w-560.webp)

## Appearance

The Limestone is typically gray, white, or tan, with a dull, earthy luster. It can sometimes show sparkling calcite crystals and may contain visible fossil fragments. Unlike granite, it lacks large speckles; unlike sandstone, its texture is usually more uniform.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia

## Interesting facts

- Did you know that chalk you use to draw is a very soft type of limestone made from tiny ancient sea creatures?
- Limestone helps plants grow big and strong because it makes soil less acidic, perfect for crops like corn!
- Many of the world's most famous pyramids, like those in Egypt, are made primarily from huge blocks of limestone!
- Most sea creatures with shells, like clams and corals, actually create their hard homes from the same material that forms limestone!

## Special abilities

- **Fizzy Revealer:** Limestone fizzes and bubbles when touched with weak acid because it's made of calcium carbonate, revealing its identity!
- **Cave Builder:** Limestone can be slowly dissolved by water, creating amazing underground caves, vast caverns, and unique stalactites.
- **Stone Stronghold:** Limestone has incredible natural strength and can be cut into blocks to build massive, long-lasting structures like ancient pyramids.

## Measurements & details

- **Color Range:** white, gray, tan, brown, black
- **Hardness:** 3
- **Luster:** dull to earthy
- **Specific Gravity:** 2.71
- **Crystal System:** trigonal

## Traits

- [Sedimentary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/sedimentary): Sedimentary rocks are formed from the accumulation and compaction of sediments, organic matter, or chemical precipitates.
- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient): Ancient refers to organisms, objects, or geological formations that have existed for an extremely long period.
- [Crystalline](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/crystalline): Crystalline describes a mineral or rock composed of crystals, often exhibiting a regular atomic structure and geometric external form.
- [Fossil](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fossil): A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of an ancient organism embedded in rock or other geological deposits.
- [Natural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/natural): Natural refers to organisms, materials, or phenomena existing or produced by nature, not artificially created.

## Collections

- [Minerals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/minerals)
- [Minerals & Rocks](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/minerals-and-rocks)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Handle gently and avoid sharp edges. Ask an adult before picking anything up.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Limestone?

Compare crystal habit, luster, transparency, cleavage and surface texture. Minerals with different compositions can share almost the same color. Mineral Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What colors can Limestone be?

white, gray, tan, brown, black

### How hard is Limestone?

3

### What kind of luster does Limestone have?

dull to earthy

### What is Limestone's specific gravity?

2.71

### What crystal system does Limestone belong to?

trigonal

## More Mineral

- [Quartz Crystal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/quartz-crystal)
- [Amethyst](https://www.snappit.app/explore/amethyst)
- [Rose Quartz](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rose-quartz)
- [Citrine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/citrine)

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Source: [Limestone: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/limestone)