Definition
Latite is an igneous, volcanic rock, with aphanitic-aphyric to aphyric-porphyritic texture
  
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
  
History
  
  
Origin
Italy
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From the Latin word latium
  
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
  
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
  
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Rough
  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Metallurgical Flux, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
  
Types
Rhomb porphyries
  
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
  
Features
Host Rock for Lead
  
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
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.
  
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
  
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
  
Compound Content
CaO, Cl, MgO
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5-5.5
  
7
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
Porosity
Very Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
  
Compressive Strength
310.00 N/mm
2
  
2
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Irregular
  
Toughness
2.7
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.86
  
3.2-3.5
  
Transparency
Translucent
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
  
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Not Yet Found
  
India, Russia
  
Africa
Not Yet Found
  
South Africa
  
Europe
Bulgaria
  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Not Yet Found
  
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Not Yet Found
  
New Zealand, Queensland
  
All about Latite and Pyroxenite Properties
Know all about Latite and Pyroxenite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Latite and Pyroxenite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Latite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic. Latite appears Rough and Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Latite is subvitreous to dull while that of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Latite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish 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 Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.