Travertine

Laterite

Travertine and Laterite

Travertine

Laterite

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Definition

Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters

Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas

History

Origin

Italy

India

Discoverer

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Francis Buchanan-Hamilton

Etymology

From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy

From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded

Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic

Color

Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow

Brown, Buff, Red

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Fibrous

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

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Cobblestones, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Source of bauxite, Used in aquariums

Types

Thermal Travertine and Tufa

Laterite

Features

Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock

Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Formation

Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.

Laterite is a type of sedimentary rock which is generally a reddish weathering product of basalt.

Composition

Mineral Content

Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz

Aluminum Oxides, Biotite, Hematite, Hornblade, Iron Oxides, Manganese Oxides, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3-42

1 7

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Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Splintery

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull to Pearly

Dull

Compressive Strength

80.00 N/mm²5.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

1.68-9999

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.71 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.09 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, Russia

India

Africa

East Africa, Western Africa

Europe

Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom

England, Romania, Scotland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Travertine and Laterite Properties

Know all about Travertine and Laterite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Travertine and Laterite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Travertine is Banded whereas that of Laterite is Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic. Travertine appears Fibrous and Laterite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Travertine is dull to pearly while that of Laterite is dull. Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors whereas Laterite is available in brown, buff, red colors. The commercial uses of Travertine are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, paper industry, pottery and that of Laterite are an oil and gas reservoir, source of bauxite, used in aquariums.