Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas
Origin
North America
India
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton
Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic
Color
Grey, White, Light Black
Brown, Buff, Red
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums
Types
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
Laterite
Features
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.
Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
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, Regional Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Sub-conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67
-9999
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
East Africa, Western Africa
Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
England, Romania, Scotland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia