Dolomite is a common rock-forming mineral. It is the primary component of the metamorphic rock known as dolomitic marble and the sedimentary rock known as dolostone. Limestone that contains some dolomite is known as dolomitic limestone. Calcium magnesium carbonate along with calcite and aragonite dolomite makes up approximately 2% of the earth’s crust. Dolostone is often used instead of limestone as an aggregate for both cement and bitumen mixes and also as a flux in blast furnaces.
Furthermore, the dolomite
market has broad applications in construction due to its hard and dense
nature. Dolomite occurs worldwide, with some of the most famous in Europe and
North America. It is found worldwide in the form of bedrocks, but the primary
deposits are found in the Midwestern U.S., Switzerland, Canada, Ontario, Spain,
Pamplona, and Mexico.
Moreover, dolomite is used as a sintering agent and
flux in metal processing, feed additive for livestock, a source of magnesia,
and in the production of ceramics, bricks, and glass. Dolomite serves as the
host rock for many copper, zinc, and lead deposits. It is rich in calcium
carbonate and magnesium. It also has smaller amounts of several other minerals.
People take dolomite as a magnesium and calcium supplement. The steel industry
uses dolomite as a sintering agent in processing iron ore and as a flux in the
production of steel.
In the agriculture industry, dolomite is often used
for soil conditioner/neutralization to correct acidity. It is also used as
filler in fertilizers. The main ingredient is calcium carbonate, it helps to
increase the pH of acidic soils and it provides a good source of calcium for
plant, as well as improves the water penetration for acidic soil. Dolomite lime
is a type of limestone that can be used to supply necessary nutrients to plants
and to raise the pH of the soil, as it contains varying amounts of both
magnesium and calcium.