Definition
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Origin
India
North America
Discoverer
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Etymology
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Color
Brown, Buff, Red
Grey, White, Light Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
Types
Laterite
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.
Mineral Content
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional 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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Sub-conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
-9999
2.65-2.67
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
England, Romania, Scotland
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
-
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Laterite vs Rhyolite 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 Rhyolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Laterite and Properties of Rhyolite. Learn more about Laterite vs Rhyolite in the next section. The interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Rhyolite include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Laterite and Rhyolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Laterite in construction industry include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone and that of Rhyolite include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Knives.
More about Laterite and Rhyolite
Here you can know more about Laterite and Rhyolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Laterite and Rhyolite 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 Rhyolite includes Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Laterite vs Rhyolite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas, Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors. Appearance of Laterite is Rough and Banded and that of Rhyolite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Laterite vs Rhyolite. The hardness of Laterite is 2 and that of Rhyolite is 6-7. The types of Laterite are Laterite whereas types of Rhyolite are Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.. 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 Rhyolite is . The specific heat capacity of Laterite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Rhyolite is 0.71 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 Rhyolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.