Definition
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Etymology
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Brown, Buff, Red
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Types
Anorthosite Gabbro and Norite Gabbro
Laterite
Features
Smooth to touch
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Mineral Content
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
-9999
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
South Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
England, Romania, Scotland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Central Australia, Western Australia
Gabbro 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. Gabbro vs Laterite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gabbro and Properties of Laterite. Learn more about Gabbro vs Laterite in the next section. The interior uses of Gabbro include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Gabbro and Laterite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Gabbro in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Laterite include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone.
More about Gabbro and Laterite
Here you can know more about Gabbro and Laterite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gabbro and Laterite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Gabbro includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene 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 Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Gabbro vs Laterite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Gabbro is available in dark grey to black colors whereas, Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors. Appearance of Gabbro is Veined and Shiny and that of Laterite is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gabbro vs Laterite. The hardness of Gabbro is 7 and that of Laterite is 2. The types of Gabbro are Anorthosite Gabbro and Norite Gabbro 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 Gabbro is black while that of Laterite is white. The specific heat capacity of Gabbro is 0.71 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.Gabbro is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Laterite is heat resistant, pressure resistant.