Definition
Latite is an igneous, volcanic rock, with aphanitic-aphyric to aphyric-porphyritic texture
Dacite is a volcanic igneous rock which is rintermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite
Origin
Italy
Romania and Moldova, Europe
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Latin word latium
From Dacia, a province of the Roman Empire which lay between the Danube River and Carpathian Mountains where the rock was first described
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, 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
Curbing
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, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Metallurgical Flux, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Rhomb porphyries
Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Host Rock for Lead, 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
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
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.
Dacitic magma is formed by the subduction of young oceanic crust under a thick felsic continental plate. Further, the Oceanic crust is hydrothermally altered as quartz and sodium are added.
Mineral Content
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Compound Content
CaO, Cl, MgO
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Toughness
2.7
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Translucent
Translucent
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.77-2.771 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Africa
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Europe
Bulgaria
France, Greece, Romania, Scotland, Spain
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Not Yet Found
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
Latite vs Dacite 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. Latite vs Dacite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Latite and Properties of Dacite. Learn more about Latite vs Dacite in the next section. The interior uses of Latite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Dacite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Latite and Dacite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Latite in construction industry include 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 and that of Dacite include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping.
More about Latite and Dacite
Here you can know more about Latite and Dacite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Latite and Dacite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Latite includes Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Dacite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Latite vs Dacite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Latite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Dacite is available in bluish - grey, brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Latite is Rough and that of Dacite is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Latite vs Dacite. The hardness of Latite is 5-5.5 and that of Dacite is 2-2.25. The types of Latite are Rhomb porphyries whereas types of Dacite are Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Latite and Dacite is white. The specific heat capacity of Latite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Dacite 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.Latite is heat resistant, pressure resistant whereas Dacite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.