Chalk

From Principles of Applied Arts

Chalk is a soft, white, porous form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. It is relatively resistant to erosion and slumping compared to the clays that it is usually associated with, and so forms tall steep cliffs where chalk ridges meet the sea. Chalk hills, known as chalk downland, usually form where bands of chalk reach the surface at an angle. Chalk is formed in shallow waters by the gradual accumulation of the calcite mineral remains of micro-organisms over millions of years. Embedded flint nodules are commonly found in chalk beds. Because chalk is porous, chalk downland usually holds a large water table, providing a natural reservoir that releases water slowly through dry seasons. Chalk has been quarried from prehistory, providing building material and marl for fields. In southeast England, deneholes are a notable example of ancient chalk pits. The Chalk Formation is a European stratigraphic unit in the upper Cretaceous period. This includes the famous White cliffs of Dover of Kent in England, which formed entirely of chalk deposits.

French chalks used at school Blackboard chalk is a substance used for drawing on rough surfaces, as it readily crumbles leaving particles that stick loosely to these surfaces. Blackboard chalk, often supplied in sticks about 5 cm long, is currently made from the mineral gypsum (calcium sulfate) rather than calcium carbonate. Similarly, the "chalk" used by tailors is usually made from talc (magnesium silicate).