Definition
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
Discoverer
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Brecciated, Clastic
Color
Brown, Buff, Red
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Laterite
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
Mineral Content
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
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
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull to Pearly
Specific Gravity
-9999
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
0 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
England, Romania, Scotland
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Laterite vs Breccia Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Laterite vs Breccia characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Laterite and Properties of Breccia. Learn more about Laterite vs Breccia in the next section. The interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Breccia include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Laterite and Breccia, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Laterite in construction industry include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone and that of Breccia include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone.
More about Laterite and Breccia
Here you can know more about Laterite and Breccia. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Laterite and Breccia consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Laterite includes Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Breccia includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Laterite vs Breccia, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas, Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Laterite is Rough and Banded and that of Breccia is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Laterite vs Breccia. The hardness of Laterite is 2 and that of Breccia is 7. The types of Laterite are Laterite whereas types of Breccia are Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Laterite and Breccia is white. The specific heat capacity of Laterite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Breccia is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Laterite is heat resistant, pressure resistant whereas Breccia is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.