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Latite vs Pyroxenite


Pyroxenite vs Latite


Definition

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  
-  

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

Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic  
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic  

Color
Black, Brown, 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  

Uses

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
-  
-  

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

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
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

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  

Properties

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/mm2  
2
150.00 N/mm2  
22

Cleavage
Perfect  
-  

Toughness
2.7  
-  

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
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
-  
India, Russia  

Africa
-  
South Africa  

Europe
Bulgaria  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey  

Others
-  
Greenland  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA  
Canada, USA  

South America
-  
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
-  
New Zealand, Queensland  

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Latite vs Pyroxenite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Latite and Pyroxenite Reserves. 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. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Latite vs Pyroxenite information and Latite vs Pyroxenite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Latite vs Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Latite and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Latite vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Latite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Latite and Pyroxenite, 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 Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Latite and Pyroxenite

Here you can know more about Latite and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Latite and Pyroxenite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Latite includes Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Latite vs Pyroxenite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Latite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Latite is Rough and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Latite vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Latite is 5-5.5 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Latite are Rhomb porphyries whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Latite is white while that of Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Latite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Pyroxenite is 0.84 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 Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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