What is Dolomite?

Tuesday, July 30th, 2013

dolomite rock for blog post

Properties of Dolomite

Dolomite is a calcium magnesium carbonate with a chemical composition of CaMg(CO3)2. Limestone that contains some dolomite is known as dolomitic limestone.

Uses Of Dolomite

Dolomite is chosen for many construction and building product applications due to its hardness and density.  A few applications applications are:

  • Asphalt and concrete mixes in a wide variety of construction applications such as highways, airport runways, parking lots, sidewalks, curbs, and residential streets and roadways, just to name a few.
  • Glass and ceramics manufacture.
  • As a sintering agent in iron ore pelletization
  • As a flux agent in steel making.
  • For pH control of soil by farmers.
  • Production of magnesium salts including magnesia, which is used in pharmaceuticals
  • Dolomite can also serve as an oil and gas reservoir rock.

US Aggregates Dolomitic Limestone Products

US Aggregates owns 12 quarries throughout Indiana with extensive reserves of high-quality dolomitic limestone.  The dolomitic limestone from our quarries have a wide variety of practical applications such as being used as an aggregate in concrete and asphalt mixtures that are used to build highways, airport runways, parking lots, sidewalks, curbs and residential streets and roadways, to name a few.  It is also added to the mixes that are used to manufacture a wide variety of concrete products such as pipes and blocks.  Our dolomitic limestone is also used by farmers to enhance the productivity of their fields, and as a feedstock to manufacture fluxed iron ore pellets and various glass products.