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Dolomite identification and geology

Both a mineral CaMg CO₃ ₂ and a sedimentary rock dolostone composed primarily of that mineral. The mineral dolomite is a calcium-magnesium carbonate with rhombohedral crystal structure, a Mohs hardness of 3.5–4, and a characteristic curved "saddle-shaped" crystal habit in hydrothermal settings. Dolomite rock forms primarily through the diagenetic replacement of calcite dolomitization and reacts only weakly with cold dilute HCl unless powdered. Field: mineralogy. Example: The Dolomite Mountains Dolomiti of northern Italy consist of massive Triassic dolomite platforms, and the mineral itself was first described from these mountains by Déodat de Dolomieu in 1791.. Related terms: Calcite, Dolostone, Dolomitization, Carbonate.

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Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:41.999576+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Dolomite mean in geology?
Both a mineral CaMg CO₃ ₂ and a sedimentary rock dolostone composed primarily of that mineral. The mineral dolomite is a calcium-magnesium carbonate with rhombohedral crystal structure, a Mohs hardness of 3.5–4, and a characteristic curved "saddle-shaped" crystal habit in hydrothermal settings. Dolomite rock forms primarily through the diagenetic replacement of calcite dolomitization and reacts only weakly with cold dilute HCl unless powdered.
What is an example of Dolomite?
The Dolomite Mountains Dolomiti of northern Italy consist of massive Triassic dolomite platforms, and the mineral itself was first described from these mountains by Déodat de Dolomieu in 1791.
Which earth-science field uses the term Dolomite?
Dolomite is used in mineralogy.
Which terms are related to Dolomite?
Related terms in this reference are Calcite, Dolostone, Dolomitization, Carbonate.

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