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Wehrlite and Laterite


Laterite and Wehrlite


Definition

Definition
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites   
Laterite rock is a type of Sedimentary rock which is rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas   

History
  
  

Origin
Egypt   
India   

Discoverer
Alois Wehrle   
Francis Buchanan-Hamilton   

Etymology
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle   
From Latin later brick, tile + -ite1   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Banded   
Earthy, Massive, Porphyritic   

Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green   
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
No   
No   

Appearance
Rough and Banded   
Rough and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

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

Medical Industry
NA   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   
Is one of the oldest rock, Very fine grained rock   

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
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

Formation

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

Composition
  
  

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

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium 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, 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
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
2   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Irregular   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Metallic   
Dull   

Cleavage
Perfect   
Not Applicable   

Toughness
2.1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
8.4   
Not Available   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.6-3.7 g/cm3   
Not Available   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.63 kJ/Kg K   
21
Not Available   

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey   
India   

Africa
Morocco, South Africa   
East Africa, Western Africa   

Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela   
England, Romania, Scotland   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia   
Central Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Wehrlite and Laterite Properties

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

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