# Eolianite

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Type of sedimentary rock

[Holocene](/source/Holocene) eolianite on [Long Island, Bahamas](/source/Long_Island%2C_Bahamas).

Eolianite, [Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda](/source/Horseshoe_Bay%2C_Bermuda)

**Eolianite** or **aeolianite** is any rock formed by the [lithification](/source/Lithification) of [sediment](/source/Sediment) deposited by [aeolian processes](/source/Aeolian_processes); that is, the [wind](/source/Wind). In common use, however, the term refers specifically to the most common form of eolianite: coastal [limestone](/source/Limestone) consisting of [carbonate](/source/Carbonate) sediment of shallow [marine](/source/Marine_(ocean)) [biogenic](/source/Biogenic) origin, formed into [coastal dunes](/source/Coastal_dune) by the wind, and subsequently lithified. It is also known as [kurkar](/source/Kurkar) in the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East), **miliolite** in [India](/source/India) and [Arabia](/source/Arabia), and **grès dunaire** in the eastern [Mediterranean](/source/Mediterranean). eolianite has a hardness of 4.3 and is very dull. Streak is light brown.

## Description

Sayles coined the term in 1931, when he described the dune-shaped hills of [Bermuda](/source/Bermuda), consisting of [bioclastic](/source/Bioclastic) [grainstones](/source/Grainstone). Thus, Bermuda is considered the [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(geology)) for [carbonate](/source/Carbonate) eolianite [facies](/source/Facies), with clearly defined [cross-bedding](/source/Cross-bedding), foresets, and topsets. Deposition is controlled by [glacio-eustatic](/source/Glacio-eustatic) changes, with eolianites forming during [interglaciations](/source/Interglaciation). Eolianites occur along the margins of the global carbonate belt, on the carbonate islands along northeastern [Yucatan](/source/Yucatan), and [Rottnest Island](/source/Rottnest_Island).[1]

Eolianite occurs in many parts of the world. It occurs most extensively between the latitudes of 20° and 40° in both hemispheres, with little nearer the equator, and virtually no deposits nearer the poles. There is no apparent difference in distribution between the hemispheres, but if the extent and thickness of deposits are taken into account, the [Southern Hemisphere](/source/Southern_Hemisphere) has the bulk of eolianite.

Eolianite outcrop at Aikerness on the island of [Orkney](/source/Mainland_Orkney), Scotland

Conditions favourable for formation of eolianite are:

- a warm climate, favourable to the production of [carbonate](/source/Carbonate) by shallow marine animals; for example, the production of [seashells](/source/Seashell) by marine [molluscs](/source/Mollusc);

- onshore winds to form beached sediment into [dunes](/source/Dune);

- a relatively low onshore topography, rather than onshore cliffs, to allow the formation of [dune](/source/Dune) systems;

- relatively low onshore rainfall, to promote rapid lithification;

- [tectonic](/source/Tectonic) stability;

The most extensive deposits of eolianite in the world are located on the southern and western coasts of [Australia](/source/Australia). On the west coast, there are over 800 kilometres (500 mi) of eolianite cliffs, which are over 150 metres thick in some places. These cliffs, locally known as the [Tamala Limestone](/source/Tamala_Limestone) Formation, contain layers of dune origin interspersed with layers of shallow-marine origin. Other substantial deposits occur in [Bermuda](/source/Bermuda), the [Bahamas](/source/Bahamas), the southern and eastern coasts of [South Africa](/source/South_Africa), the [Mediterranean](/source/Mediterranean), [India](/source/India), and oceanic islands of the [Pacific](/source/Pacific_Ocean), [Atlantic](/source/Atlantic_Ocean), and [Indian](/source/Indian_Ocean) Oceans.

## See also

- [Depositional environment](/source/Depositional_environment)

- [Facies](/source/Facies)

- [Sedimentary rock](/source/Sedimentary_rock)

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Eolianite](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Eolianite).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Vacher, H.L.; Rowe, Mark (1997). Vacher, H.L.; Quinn, T. (eds.). [*Geology and Hydrogeology of Bermuda, in Geology and Hydrogeology of Carbonate Islands, Developments in Sedimentology 54*](https://archive.org/details/geologyhydrogeol00vach_559). Amsterdam: elsevier Science B.V. pp. [42](https://archive.org/details/geologyhydrogeol00vach_559/page/n60). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780444516442](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780444516442).

- Brooke, Brendan (2001). "The distribution of carbonate eolianite". *Earth-Science Reviews*. **55** (1–2): 135–164. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/S0012-8252(01)00054-X](https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS0012-8252%2801%2900054-X).

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