Definition
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Discoverer
Unknown
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Etymology
From Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
Brown, Buff, Red
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Shiny and Rounded
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Types
Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate
Laterite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Mineral Content
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.88
-9999
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
India
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
England, Romania, Scotland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Central Australia, Western Australia
Conglomerate vs Laterite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Conglomerate vs Laterite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Conglomerate and Properties of Laterite. Learn more about Conglomerate vs Laterite in the next section. The interior uses of Conglomerate include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Homes whereas the interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Conglomerate and Laterite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Conglomerate in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Laterite include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone.
More about Conglomerate and Laterite
Here you can know more about Conglomerate and Laterite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Conglomerate and Laterite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Conglomerate includes Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt and mineral content of Laterite includes Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Conglomerate vs Laterite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, rust, white, yellow colors whereas, Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors. Appearance of Conglomerate is Shiny and Rounded and that of Laterite is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Conglomerate vs Laterite. The hardness of Conglomerate is 2-3 and that of Laterite is 2. The types of Conglomerate are Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate whereas types of Laterite are Laterite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Conglomerate and Laterite is white. The specific heat capacity of Conglomerate is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Laterite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Conglomerate is heat resistant whereas Laterite is heat resistant, pressure resistant.