WHAT ARE LIMESTONE AND DOLOMITE?
Limestone is a sedimentary rock that consists chiefly of calcite, which is composed of calcium, carbon, and oxygen. Dolomite is a variety of limestone that contains considerable magnesium in addition to the other elements. Limestones were deposited on the floors of ancient seas that repeatedly covered most parts of Illinois. Shelled creatures, corals, and coral reefs helped build up the thick limestone deposits (figs. [13] and [14]).
Figure 13—Piece of limestone largely made up of fossil brachiopod shells.