Latite

Kimberlite

Latite and Kimberlite

Latite

Kimberlite

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Definition

Latite is an igneous, volcanic rock, with aphanitic-aphyric to aphyric-porphyritic texture

Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.

History

Origin

Italy

Kimberley, South Africa

Discoverer

Unknown

John W. Judd

Etymology

From the Latin word latium

From Kimberley +‎ -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough

Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Metallurgical Flux, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Rhomb porphyries

Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Latite 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.

Kimberlite is an igneous rock and is the main source of diamonds. Its formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface between 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.

Composition

Mineral Content

Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene

Compound Content

CaO, Cl, MgO

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical 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

5-5.56-7

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fine to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

310.00 N/mm²260.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Perfect

Conchoidal

Toughness

2.7

Specific Gravity

2.862.86-2.87

0 8.4

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Transparency

Translucent

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.95-2.96 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Russia

Africa

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa

Europe

Bulgaria

England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom

Others

Antarctica

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Latite and Kimberlite Properties

Know all about Latite and Kimberlite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Latite and Kimberlite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Latite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Kimberlite is Porphyritic. Latite appears Rough and Kimberlite appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Latite and Kimberlite is subvitreous to dull. Latite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Latite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, metallurgical flux, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Kimberlite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).