Gossan

Laterite

Gossan and Laterite

Gossan

Laterite

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Definition

Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein.

Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas

History

Origin

Indonesia

India

Discoverer

Cornish Gossen

Francis Buchanan-Hamilton

Etymology

From Cornish gossen from gos, blood from Old Cornish guit

From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Rough, Sandy

Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic

Color

Brown, Brown- Black, Gold, Green, Rust

Brown, Buff, Red

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull and Banded

Rough and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Gemstone

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums

Types

Translocated gossan and Leakage gossan

Laterite

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates

Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Earth movements can cause rocks to be either deeply buried or squeezed and hence the rocks are heated and put under great pressure.

Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.

Composition

Mineral Content

Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Epidote, Feldspar, Hornblende, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Zircon

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

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Fe, FeO, Silicon Dioxide, Sulphur

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

4-52

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine to Medium Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Metallic

Dull

Compressive Strength

-5.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.0-9999

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

-9999 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.24 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea

India

Africa

Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa

East Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Albania, France, Germany, Great Britain, United Kingdom

England, Romania, Scotland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Gossan and Laterite Properties

Know all about Gossan and Laterite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gossan belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Laterite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Gossan is Rough, Sandy whereas that of Laterite is Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic. Gossan appears Dull and Banded and Laterite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Gossan is metallic while that of Laterite is dull. Gossan is available in brown, brown- black, gold, green, rust colors whereas Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors. The commercial uses of Gossan are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, gemstone and that of Laterite are an oil and gas reservoir, source of bauxite, used in aquariums.