Definition
Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.
Latite is an igneous, volcanic rock, with aphanitic-aphyric to aphyric-porphyritic texture
Origin
Central Europe
Italy
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin granulum, a little grain or fine grained
From the Latin word latium
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granoblastic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Rough
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Soil Conditioner, Tombstones
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Metallurgical Flux, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Metamorphic rock
Rhomb porphyries
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Granulite is a fine-grained granular metamorphic rock in which the main component minerals are feldspars and quartz and forms at high temperature and pressure conditions.
Latite 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.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Cl, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Subvitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.8-3.0
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
3.06-3.33 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
-
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa
-
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Bulgaria
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
All about Granulite and Latite Properties
Know all about Granulite and Latite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granulite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Latite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Granulite is Granoblastic whereas that of Latite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Granulite appears Veined or Pebbled and Latite appears Rough. The luster of Granulite is vitreous while that of Latite is subvitreous to dull. Granulite is available in black, brown colors whereas Latite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Granulite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, soil conditioner, tombstones and that of Latite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, metallurgical flux, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).