Definition
Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Discoverer
Unknown
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Etymology
From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Amorphous, Glassy
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Brown, Buff, Red
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
-
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
-
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Steel Production
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
-
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Electricity Generation
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Types
Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite
Laterite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Coal formation takes place due to accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. The Coal formation process continues, as peat turns into lignite brown or black coal at increasing heat and pressure.
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Mineral Content
-
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Dull
Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4
-9999
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
800-801 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
India
Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
East Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
England, Romania, Scotland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Central Australia, Western Australia