Definition
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Tephrite is an aphanitic to porphyritic textured, volcanic igneous rock
Discoverer
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Van Tooren
Etymology
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
From Greek tephra, ashes from Indo-European base, to burn
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Brown, Buff, Red
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Banded
Vesicular
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
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Landscaping
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Tephrite 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
Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
Bluish Black
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Applicable
Crenulation and Pervasive
Toughness
Not Available
2.4
Specific Gravity
Not Available
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Namibia, Uganda
Europe
England, Romania, Scotland
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Laterite vs Tephrite 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 Tephrite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Laterite and Properties of Tephrite. Learn more about Laterite vs Tephrite in the next section. The interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Tephrite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Laterite and Tephrite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Laterite in construction industry include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone and that of Tephrite include Landscaping.
More about Laterite and Tephrite
Here you can know more about Laterite and Tephrite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Laterite and Tephrite 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 Tephrite includes Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Laterite vs Tephrite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors whereas, Tephrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Laterite is Rough and Banded and that of Tephrite is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Laterite vs Tephrite. The hardness of Laterite is 2 and that of Tephrite is 6.5. The types of Laterite are Not Available whereas types of Tephrite are Not Available. 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 Tephrite is bluish black. The specific heat capacity of Laterite is Not Available and that of Tephrite is 0.92 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 Tephrite is heat resistant, impact resistant.
