Laterite

Foidolite

Laterite and Foidolite

Laterite

Foidolite

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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

Foidolite is a rare type of coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock with a feldspathoid mineral content greater than 60%

History

Origin

India

Discoverer

Francis Buchanan-Hamilton

Unknown

Etymology

From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1

From the mineral feldspathoid which is the main content of rock

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic

Earthy

Color

Brown, Buff, Red

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Banded

Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Laterite

Igneous rock

Features

Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock

Host Rock for Lead

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.

Foidolites 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, 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, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

21.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

5.00 N/mm²80.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

Specific Gravity

-99992.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent

Density

-9999 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.79 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India

Russia

Africa

East Africa, Western Africa

South Africa, Western Africa

Europe

England, Romania, Scotland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Laterite and Foidolite Properties

Know all about Laterite and Foidolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Laterite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Foidolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Laterite is Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic whereas that of Foidolite is Earthy. Laterite appears Rough and Banded and Foidolite appears Dull. The luster of Laterite is dull while that of Foidolite is subvitreous to dull. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas Foidolite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Laterite are an oil and gas reservoir, source of bauxite, used in aquariums and that of Foidolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.