Latite

Porphyry

Latite and Porphyry

Latite

Porphyry

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Definition

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

Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix

History

Origin

Italy

Egypt

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From the Latin word latium

From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough

Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

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

Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry

Types

Rhomb porphyries

Rhomb Porphyry

Features

Host Rock for Lead

Generally rough to touch, 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.

Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.

Composition

Mineral Content

Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica

Compound Content

CaO, Cl, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, 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

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-5.56-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Dull

Compressive Strength

310.00 N/mm²150.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

2.7

1.7

Specific Gravity

2.862.5-4

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.5-2.52 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.71 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa

Europe

Bulgaria

Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

All about Latite and Porphyry Properties

Know all about Latite and Porphyry properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Latite and Porphyry belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Latite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Porphyry is Porphyritic. Latite appears Rough and Porphyry appears Dull. The luster of Latite is subvitreous to dull while that of Porphyry is dull. Latite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Porphyry is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, rust, white 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 Porphyry are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.