Definition
Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix
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 Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White
Brown, Buff, Red
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Construction Aggregate
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Types
Rhomb Porphyry
Laterite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.5-4
-9999
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.5-2.52 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
India
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland
England, Romania, Scotland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Porphyry vs Laterite 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. Porphyry vs Laterite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Porphyry and Properties of Laterite. Learn more about Porphyry vs Laterite in the next section. The interior uses of Porphyry include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Laterite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Porphyry and Laterite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Porphyry in construction industry include Construction aggregate and that of Laterite include Cobblestones, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone.
More about Porphyry and Laterite
Here you can know more about Porphyry and Laterite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Porphyry and Laterite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Porphyry includes Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica and mineral content of Laterite includes Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Porphyry vs Laterite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Porphyry is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, rust, white colors whereas, Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors. Appearance of Porphyry is Dull and that of Laterite is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Porphyry vs Laterite. The hardness of Porphyry is 6-7 and that of Laterite is 2. The types of Porphyry are Rhomb Porphyry whereas types of Laterite are Laterite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Porphyry and Laterite is white. The specific heat capacity of Porphyry is 0.71 kJ/Kg K and that of Laterite 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.Porphyry is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Laterite is heat resistant, pressure resistant.