Definition
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
Discoverer
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Vitreous
Color
Brown, Buff, Red
Black, Dark Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Glassy
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, 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
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Laterite
Volcanic glass
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Tachylite 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
Feldspar, Olivine
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
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact 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
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
-9999
2.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
3.058 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
East Africa
Europe
England, Romania, Scotland
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Victoria
Laterite vs Tachylite 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 Tachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Laterite and Properties of Tachylite. Learn more about Laterite vs Tachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Tachylite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Laterite and Tachylite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Laterite in construction industry include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone and that of Tachylite include Cutting tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers.
More about Laterite and Tachylite
Here you can know more about Laterite and Tachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Laterite and Tachylite 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 Tachylite includes Feldspar, Olivine. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Laterite vs Tachylite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas, Tachylite is available in black, dark brown colors. Appearance of Laterite is Rough and Banded and that of Tachylite is Glassy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Laterite vs Tachylite. The hardness of Laterite is 2 and that of Tachylite is 5.5. The types of Laterite are Laterite whereas types of Tachylite are Volcanic glass. 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 Tachylite is vermilion. The specific heat capacity of Laterite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Tachylite is 0.56 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 Tachylite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.