Home
Compare Rocks


Epidosite and Laterite


Laterite and Epidosite


Definition

Definition
Epidosite is a highly altered epidote and quartz bearing rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt   
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
India   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton   

Etymology
Not Available   
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular   
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic   

Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey   
Brown, Buff, Red   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Dull and Soft   
Rough and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums   

Types

Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite   
Not Available   

Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock   
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

Formation

Formation
Epidosite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.   
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering   

Erosion
No   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6   
2   

Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White to Grey   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Not Available   
Dull   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Toughness
2.3   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.8-3   
Not Available   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
Not Available   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
India   

Africa
South Africa   
East Africa, Western Africa   

Europe
Iceland   
England, Romania, Scotland   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Epidosite and Laterite Properties

Know all about Epidosite and Laterite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Epidosite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Laterite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Epidosite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular whereas that of Laterite is Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic. Epidosite appears Dull and Soft and Laterite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Epidosite is not available while that of Laterite is dull. Epidosite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors. The commercial uses of Epidosite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Laterite are an oil and gas reservoir, source of bauxite, used in aquariums.

Compare Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

» More Igneous Rocks

Compare Igneous Rocks

» More Compare Igneous Rocks