Laterite

Picrite

Laterite vs Picrite

Laterite

Picrite

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Definition

Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas

Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine

History

Origin

India

Hawaii Islands

Discoverer

Francis Buchanan-Hamilton

Unknown

Etymology

From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1

From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic

Earthy, Rough

Color

Brown, Buff, Red

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Banded

Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, 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

Industry

Construction Industry

Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone

As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Roadstone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums

As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Laterite

Oceanite

Features

Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock

Host Rock for Lead

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

Formation

Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.

Picrite 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

Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

26.8

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

White

White, Greenish White or Grey

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

5.00 N/mm²189.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

-99992.75-2.92

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

-9999 g/cm³1.5-2.5 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India

India, Russia

Africa

East Africa, Western Africa

South Africa

Europe

England, Romania, Scotland

Iceland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

Laterite vs Picrite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Laterite and Picrite Reserves. Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Laterite vs Picrite information and Laterite vs Picrite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Laterite vs Picrite 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 Picrite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Laterite and Properties of Picrite. Learn more about Laterite vs Picrite in the next section. The interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Picrite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Laterite and Picrite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Laterite in construction industry include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone and that of Picrite include As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Roadstone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..

More about Laterite and Picrite

Here you can know more about Laterite and Picrite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Laterite and Picrite 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 Picrite includes Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Laterite vs Picrite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas, Picrite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Laterite is Rough and Banded and that of Picrite is Rough and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Laterite vs Picrite. The hardness of Laterite is 2 and that of Picrite is 6.8. The types of Laterite are Laterite whereas types of Picrite are Oceanite. 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 Picrite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Laterite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Picrite is 0.88 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 Picrite is heat resistant.