Definition
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Icelandite belongs to volcanic igneous rocks which is rich in iron and belongs to andesite rock
Discoverer
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Ian S. E. Carmichael
Etymology
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
From its origin place near Cenozoic volcano near the parsonage Þingmúli in East Iceland
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Brown, Buff, Red
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
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
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Laterite
Intermediate volcanic rock
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Icelandite 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.
Mineral Content
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
-9999
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.11-2.36 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea
Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
England, Romania, Scotland
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Mexico, USA
South America
-
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Laterite vs Icelandite 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 Icelandite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Laterite and Properties of Icelandite. Learn more about Laterite vs Icelandite in the next section. The interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Icelandite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Laterite and Icelandite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Laterite in construction industry include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone and that of Icelandite include Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Laterite and Icelandite
Here you can know more about Laterite and Icelandite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Laterite and Icelandite 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 Icelandite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Laterite vs Icelandite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas, Icelandite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors. Appearance of Laterite is Rough and Banded and that of Icelandite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Laterite vs Icelandite. The hardness of Laterite is 2 and that of Icelandite is 7. The types of Laterite are Laterite whereas types of Icelandite are Intermediate volcanic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Laterite and Icelandite is white. The specific heat capacity of Laterite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Icelandite is 2.39 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 Icelandite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant.