- Limestone: Limestone is a sedimentary rock primarily composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It is formed from the accumulation and compaction of the remains of marine organisms such as corals, shells, and algae.
- Chalk: Chalk is a soft, white, and fine-grained limestone composed mainly of microscopic calcite crystals. It is formed from the accumulation of the remains of planktonic organisms, such as coccolithophores, which have calcium carbonate shells.
- Marble: Marble is a metamorphic rock formed when limestone undergoes intense heat and pressure within the Earth's crust. While the primary component remains calcium carbonate, the recrystallization process gives marble its characteristic crystalline texture and often varied colors.
- Dolostone: Dolostone, also known as dolomite, is a sedimentary rock composed of the mineral dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2). Dolostones form through the replacement of calcium ions in limestone by magnesium ions, often in environments where seawater mixes with freshwater or in evaporating basins.
- Travertine: Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by hot springs or rivers rich in dissolved calcium carbonate. It has a distinctive banded or layered texture and is often used as a building material.
- Tuff: Some volcanic rocks, particularly tuffs formed from the consolidation of volcanic ash, can contain carbonate minerals. These are known as calcareous tuffs or tuffaceous limestones.
- Marl: Marl is a mix between limestone and clay, containing varying amounts of both carbonate minerals (calcite or dolomite) and clay minerals such as smectite or illite.
