Home
Compare Rocks


Tonalite and Laterite


Laterite and Tonalite


Definition

Definition
Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture   
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas   

History
  
  

Origin
Tonale, Italy   
India   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton   

Etymology
From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1   
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Phaneritic   
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic   

Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White   
Brown, Buff, Red   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Banded and Foilated   
Rough and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums   

Types

Types
Dacite   
Not Available   

Features
Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.   
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
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
Absent   
Present   

Formation

Formation
When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.   
Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon   
Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

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

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
2   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
Bluish Black   
White   

Porosity
Very Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull   
Dull   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Toughness
2.1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.86-3   
Not Available   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.73 g/cm3   
Not Available   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Not Yet Found   
India   

Africa
Egypt   
East Africa, Western Africa   

Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey   
England, Romania, Scotland   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Tonalite and Laterite Properties

Know all about Tonalite and Laterite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Tonalite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Laterite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Tonalite is Phaneritic whereas that of Laterite is Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic. Tonalite appears Banded and Foilated and Laterite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Tonalite is subvitreous to dull while that of Laterite is dull. Tonalite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors. The commercial uses of Tonalite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Laterite are an oil and gas reservoir, source of bauxite, used in aquariums.

Compare Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

» More Igneous Rocks

Compare Igneous Rocks

» More Compare Igneous Rocks