Definition
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
Discoverer
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
From German which means hornstone
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Granular, Platy
Color
Brown, Buff, Red
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Laterite
Biotite hornfels
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Andalusite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
-9999
3.4-3.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Europe
England, Romania, Scotland
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
-
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Laterite vs Hornfels 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 Hornfels characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Laterite and Properties of Hornfels. Learn more about Laterite vs Hornfels in the next section. The interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Laterite and Hornfels, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Laterite in construction industry include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone and that of Hornfels include For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Laterite and Hornfels
Here you can know more about Laterite and Hornfels. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Laterite and Hornfels 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 Hornfels includes Andalusite. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Laterite vs Hornfels, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas, Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Laterite is Rough and Banded and that of Hornfels is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Laterite vs Hornfels. The hardness of Laterite is 2 and that of Hornfels is 2-3. The types of Laterite are Laterite whereas types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Laterite is white while that of Hornfels is . The specific heat capacity of Laterite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Hornfels 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 Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.