Oolite
Oolites are small spherical concretions, commonly formed by calcite that was deposited around a sand grain, shell fragment, or some other foreign particle in shallow, wave-agitated water.
Many Kansas limestones, particularly those of Pennsylvanian age contain oolites. These are found in the eastern third of the state.
Read more about oolites in Rocks and Minerals of the Osage Cuestas.
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The sample pictured above is from Reno County, Kansas |
Sources
Buchanan, Rex C., Tolsted, Laura L., and Swineford, Ada, 1986, Kansas Rocks and Minerals: Kansas Geological Survey, Educational Series 2, 60 p.
Klein, Cornelis, 1993, Manual of Mineralogy (after James D. Dana), 21st Edition: New York, Wiley, 681 p.
Unless noted otherwise, illustrations by Jennifer Sims, Kansas Geological Survey; photographs by John Charlton, Kansas Geological Survey; text by Liz Brosius, Kansas Geological Survey.
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