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Carbonate rocks

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Geology
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Introduction

Carbonate rocks or stones are rocks formed from tiny particles which come from the hard parts of the bodies of sea creatures such as corals, which millions of years ago gradually settled as sediment and compacted until they formed the rock you see here. Consequently, it is a rock which formed under water in the sea from the remains of sea creatures. In this case you will see biomicritic limestone, formed in the Bartonian stage of the Eocene epoch some 40 million years ago. They are now on the surface because in the period when they formed the Earth had a much warmer climate and the ice caps did not exist. As a result, the sea level was much higher than it is today. This rock is economically very important because as it is highly porous, it makes a very good oil reservoir. It is also one of the main components in grey cement, which is used in modern structures.

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