Definition
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
Discoverer
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
From Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball
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, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Clastic
Color
Brown, Buff, Red
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Shiny and Rounded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones
Types
Laterite
Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
Mineral Content
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
NaCl, CaO
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
-9999
2.86-2.88
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, 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
Canada, USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Laterite vs Conglomerate 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 Conglomerate characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Laterite and Properties of Conglomerate. Learn more about Laterite vs Conglomerate in the next section. The interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Conglomerate include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Laterite and Conglomerate, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Laterite in construction industry include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone and that of Conglomerate include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Laterite and Conglomerate
Here you can know more about Laterite and Conglomerate. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Laterite and Conglomerate 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 Conglomerate includes Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Laterite vs Conglomerate, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas, Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, rust, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Laterite is Rough and Banded and that of Conglomerate is Shiny and Rounded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Laterite vs Conglomerate. The hardness of Laterite is 2 and that of Conglomerate is 2-3. The types of Laterite are Laterite whereas types of Conglomerate are Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Laterite and Conglomerate is white. The specific heat capacity of Laterite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Conglomerate is 0.92 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 Conglomerate is heat resistant.