Laterite

Adakite

Laterite and Adakite

Laterite

Adakite

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Definition

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

Adakite is an intermediate to felsic volcanic rock that has geochemical characteristics of magma which is said to be formed by partial melting of altered basalt that is subducted below volcanic arcs

History

Origin

India

Adak, Aleutian Islands

Discoverer

Francis Buchanan-Hamilton

Defant and Drummond

Etymology

From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1

From Adak, Aleutian Islands

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic

Porphyritic

Color

Brown, Buff, Red

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Banded

Dull and Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Commemorative Tablets, Pottery, Used in aquariums

Types

Laterite

Intermediate volcanic rock

Features

Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Host rock for Diamond, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

Formation

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

Adakite rocks are formed when the hydrous fluids are released from minerals that break down in metamorphosed basalt, and rise into the mantle they initiate partial melting.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Olivine, 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, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

23-4

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Bluish Black

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous

Compressive Strength

5.00 N/mm²200.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

-9999-9999

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

-9999 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India

India, Russia

Africa

East Africa, Western Africa

Ethiopia, Somalia, South Africa

Europe

England, Romania, Scotland

Iceland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Laterite and Adakite Properties

Know all about Laterite and Adakite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Laterite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Adakite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Laterite is Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic whereas that of Adakite is Porphyritic. Laterite appears Rough and Banded and Adakite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Laterite is dull while that of Adakite is grainy, pearly and vitreous. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas Adakite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Laterite are an oil and gas reservoir, source of bauxite, used in aquariums and that of Adakite are commemorative tablets, pottery, used in aquariums.