Laterite and Wehrlite
Definition
Definition
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
History
Origin
India
Egypt
Discoverer
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Alois Wehrle
Etymology
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Banded
Color
Brown, Buff, Red
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
No
Yes
Scratch Resistant
No
Yes
Stain Resistant
No
Yes
Wind Resistant
No
No
Acid Resistant
No
No
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Rough and Banded
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
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
NA
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Used
Fossils
Present
Absent
Formation
Formation
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Wehrlite 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
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, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
No
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
Yes
Yes
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
2
5.5-6
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Metallic
Cleavage
Not Applicable
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
2.1
Specific Gravity
Not Available
8.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
0.63 kJ/Kg K
21
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Europe
England, Romania, Scotland
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
All about Laterite and Wehrlite Properties
Know all about Laterite and Wehrlite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Laterite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Wehrlite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Laterite is Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic whereas that of Wehrlite is Banded. Laterite appears Rough and Banded and Wehrlite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Laterite is dull while that of Wehrlite is metallic. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. The commercial uses of Laterite are an oil and gas reservoir, source of bauxite, used in aquariums and that of Wehrlite are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.
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