ELATERITE, also termed elastic bitumen and mineral caoutchouc, an asphaltic pyrobitumen originally discovered in the Odin lead mines at Castleton, Derbyshire. It occurs in a few other localities, but always in small quantities and is merely of scientific interest. It varies somewhat in consistency, but is typically soft and elastic, often closely resembling india-rubber, and is a de rivative of petroleum. A substance of similar physical character is found in the Coorong district of South Australia and is known as coorongite, but some doubt still exists as to whether this is a derivative of petroleum or a vegetable product.