Rocks and Minerals in Lithuania KAUNAS “SANTARA” GYMNASIUM Comenius Project “Let Stones Speak: rocking around European Heritage”
Rock is a naturally found solid aggregate of one or more minerals or mineraloids. ROCK
CLASSIFICATION Igneous Metamorphic Sedimentary
Most rocks found in Lithuania are sedimentary. They were formed in Quaternary Ice Age. ROCKS IN LITHUANIA
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate. Colourless to white; may be yellow, tan, blue, pink, brown, reddish brown or gray due to impurities. Massive, flat. It can be used as a fertilizer, in baking, medicine. GYPSUM
Dolomite is an anhydrous carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate. White, gray to pink. Tabular crystals, often with curved faces, also columnar, stalactitic, granular, massive. Used as ornamental stone, as the substrate, popular choice for motorcycle speedway tracks. DOLOMITE
It is a common type of felsic intrusive igneous rock. These rocks mainly consist of feldspar, quartz, mica, and amphibole minerals. Massive, hard and tough. Used for sculptures, in engineering. GRANITE
It is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand- sized minerals or rock grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar. Like sand, sandstone may be of any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, pink, white and black. Used for domestic construction and housewares. SANDSTONE
Belongs to a large group of dark, often phaneritic, mafic intrusive igneous rocks. Gabbro is dense, greenish or dark-colored. Gabbro often contains valuable amounts of chromium, nickel, cobalt, gold, silver, platinum, and copper sulfides. Used as ornamental facing stones, paving stones. It is also used in kitchens and their countertops. GABBRO
A mineral is a naturally found substance that is solid and inorganic. It is different from the rock, which can be an aggregate of minerals and does not have any specific chemical composition. MINERALS
Feldspar is one of the group of rock-forming tectosilicate minerals. Feldspar crystallizes from magma. Pink, white, gray, brown. Used in glassmaking, ceramics. FELDSPAR
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral on the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. Colourless through various colours to black. Varieties (according to colour): citrine, rose quartz, amethyst, smoky quartz, milky quartz. Used in jewelry. QUARTZ
The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide. Pale brass-yellow reflective; tarnishes darker and iridescent. Used in paper industry, to make jewelry. PYRITE
Amber is fossilized tree resin. As well as the usual yellow-orange-brown that is associated with the color "amber", amber itself can range from a whitish colour through a pale lemon yellow, to brown and almost black. It is used to make jewelry, had been used in medicine (there are places where it is used to heal pain nowadays), perfumery. AMBER