Chalk
![]() |
Contents |
[edit] Description
Chalk is a white, fine-grained, often soft crumbly type of limestone, made up of the shells of minute organisms that form into a sedimentary rock. Most chalk rocks were deposited during the Cretaceous period (145.5 million to 65.5 million years ago). It derives its name from the Latin word (creta) for chalk - although most Cretaceous rocks are not chalks.
The purest chalk rocks can be almost totally made up of calcium carbonate in the form of the mineral calcite, others will contain other materials such as quartz and silica as well as clay minerals and calcium phosphate. There are many chalk deposits along the Southern coast of England, which are dramatically exposed as white cliffs such as the white cliffs of Dover and the Seven Sisters in Sussex.
Chalk is porous and therefore can hold water, which can be advantageous for areas that suffer from drought because these rock types can provide a natural reservoir that releases water slowly.
In most cases chalk rocks can be easily accessed and examined as they are close to the surface and have not deformed over time.
[edit] Mining
Ancient chalk mines exist across much of southern England, associated with agriculture, often found next to field boundaries or woodland. Today, with seven of the ten leading global exporters, Europe has many mines, with France and Germany as top exporters. Chalk is generally open cast mined with a few closed cast mines.
[edit] Major uses
Today chalk is classified into natural and human-made chalk. Natural chalk as mined across Europe has been used as a raw material for quicklime, slaked lime and cement, it is also used in agriculture as a means of reducing the acidity of soils. Chalk has applications in power plants to neutralise acid gasses that are generated and as a filler and pigment in paper, plastic and construction materials. The traditional, more direct uses of chalk in construction also continue with in cob construction quicklime, bricks and builder's putty (with flaxseed oil) although this now often replaced with human-made chalk.
In 1965 the Institution of Civil Engineers organised a conference on the use of chalk in earthworks and foundations. In the UK, Chalk is used for a variety of civil engineering purposes including the construction of embankments for railways, trunk roads, motorways, fills, tunnels, cuttings, retaining structures, shallow foundations and pile foundations.
[edit] Minor uses
Other broader uses of natural chalk, now mostly replaced by human-made chalk, include the production of blackboard chalk (traditionally natural chalks now from mineral gypsum or calcium sulfate), and pavement, field and boundary marking chalk powder (now mostly titanium dioxide). In gymnastics, rock climbing, weight lifting and combat traction, magnesium carbonate is now generally used. Chalk used by tailors as well as carpenters was traditionally hard and now often made of magnesium silicate. Finally it is used as a mild abrasive and might be added to toothpaste, to help cleaning and as an additive to metal polish.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
The context, schemes, standards, roles and the relevance of the Building Safety Act.
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.