Definition
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat
Discoverer
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Amorphous, Glassy
Color
Brown, Buff, Red
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
-
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
-
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
for Road Aggregate, Steel Production
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
-
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Electricity Generation
Types
Laterite
Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Coal formation takes place due to accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. The Coal formation process continues, as peat turns into lignite brown or black coal at increasing heat and pressure.
Mineral Content
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
-
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Types of 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
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Specific Gravity
-9999
1.1-1.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
800-801 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
England, Romania, Scotland
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
-
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria