Latite

Pseudotachylite

Latite and Pseudotachylite

Latite

Pseudotachylite

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Definition

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

Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.

History

Origin

Italy

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From the Latin word latium

From pseudo- +‎ tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Quench

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough

Dull and Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing 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

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments

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

Types

Rhomb porphyries

Cataclastic rock

Features

Host Rock for Lead

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.

Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

Composition

Mineral Content

Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides

Compound Content

CaO, Cl, MgO

Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-5.57

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

White

Light to dark brown

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

310.00 N/mm²60.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

2.7

Specific Gravity

2.862.46-2.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Transparent to Translucent

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.7-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

South Korea

Africa

Western Africa

Europe

Bulgaria

Great Britain, Switzerland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Latite and Pseudotachylite Properties

Know all about Latite and Pseudotachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Latite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Latite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Pseudotachylite is Quench. Latite appears Rough and Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Latite is subvitreous to dull while that of Pseudotachylite is vitreous. Latite and Pseudotachylite are available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, 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 Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone.