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Limestone has many uses, in addition to gravel. Gardeners, for instance, use it as a soil conditioner when the acid levels are too high. It can also be used as an aggregate for asphalt roadways and walkways. It’s even available in a wide variety of colors and textures, making it suitable for decorative purposes. But what exactly is limestone, and where does it come from? Ashcraft Sand & Gravel, a family-operated gravel delivery company based in Cleves, OH, explains.

Limestone makes up about 10% of the earth’s sedimentary rock. Like other types of sedimentary rock, most limestone has been formed over many hundreds or even thousands of years through extreme heat and compression. Since limestone often originates from the ocean, it tends to contain the ancient remains of fish, mollusks, reefs, and other organisms, making limestone fossils of particular interest in fields like paleontology. Limestone can also be formed through mineral leaching, similar to stalactite and stalagmite formation.

limestoneSo what else makes limestone limestone besides the way it was formed? The main mineral you’ll find in it is calcium carbonate, but it’s all the other minerals that give each piece of limestone unique colors and textures. There are many varieties of this type of rock, such as chalk, marble, quartz, and dolomite—materials that otherwise couldn’t seem more different. But whether they’re soft and crumbly, like chalk, or hard and heavy, like marble, it’s all still limestone: The materials have just undergone different formation processes and been exposed to different impurities.

Do you need limestone gravel for an upcoming project? Ashcraft Sand & Gravel delivers limestone, sand, gravel, and other landscaping materials throughout Cincinnati, Butler County, and the surrounding areas. No job is too big! To request a quote, call (513) 367-5700. More information is available on their website.

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