19 - Laterite

Hello friends, Welcome to the Rock Repository at the Department of Geology, Shivaji Science College, Nagpur.

I am Laterite, deriving my name from the Latin word "later," meaning brick. Rich in iron and aluminium, I am a weathered rock material commonly found in hot and wet tropical regions, notably Central India. The hallmark rusty-red color that defines nearly all of us arises from our high iron oxide content. Our formation occurs through intensive and prolonged weathering of the underlying parent rock, typically under conditions of high temperatures and heavy rainfall interspersed with alternating wet and dry periods. This transformative process is known as laterization.

Within our composition, you'll find various textures, including:

1. Oolites or oolitic: These are small, rounded structures typically less than 2 mm in diameter.

  2. Pisolites or pisolitic: Slightly larger than oolites, these structures range from 1 mm to 5 mm in diameter.

  3. Concretions: These are larger, rounded masses exceeding 20 mm in diameter.

  4. Vesicular: Characterized by varying shapes and diameters greater than 5 mm, these structures possess vesicles or cavities within their matrix.

I am widely used as a building material due to my durability and weather-resistant properties.

When crushed and mixed with soil, I can improve its fertility and drainage properties. Scientists and researchers study me to understand the processes of laterization and weathering. My presence in different geological formations provides valuable insights into past environmental conditions and landscape evolution

Thank you for visiting.