Home
Compare Rocks


Taconite and Latite


Latite and Taconite


Definition

Definition
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica   
Latite is an igneous, volcanic rock, with aphanitic-aphyric to aphyric-porphyritic texture   

History
  
  

Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota   
Italy   

Discoverer
Newton Horace Winchell   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England   
From the Latin word latium   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Volcanic   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Banded, Trellis   
Aphanitic to Porphyritic   

Color
Red, Reddish Brown   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   
Rough   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.   
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   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Metallurgical Flux, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Rhomb porphyries   

Features
Is one of the oldest rock   
Host Rock for Lead   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Present   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.   
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.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz   
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide   
CaO, Cl, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
5-5.5   

Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Very Less Porous   

Luster
Earthy   
Subvitreous to Dull   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
310.00 N/mm2   
2

Cleavage
Imperfect   
Perfect   

Toughness
1.5   
2.7   

Specific Gravity
5-5.3   
2.86   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Translucent   

Density
Not Available   
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
3.20 kJ/Kg K   
1
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam   
Not Yet Found   

Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania   
Not Yet Found   

Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom   
Bulgaria   

Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, Mexico, USA   
USA   

South America
Bolivia, Brazil   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia   
Not Yet Found   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Taconite and Latite Properties

Know all about Taconite and Latite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Taconite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Latite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Taconite is Banded, Trellis whereas that of Latite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Taconite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Latite appears Rough. The luster of Taconite is earthy while that of Latite is subvitreous to dull. Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas Latite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Taconite are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Latite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, metallurgical flux, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).

Compare Sedimentary Rocks

Fossil Rocks

Fossil Rocks

» More Fossil Rocks

Compare Sedimentary Rocks

» More Compare Sedimentary Rocks