Diorite (/ˈdaɪ. əˌraɪt/ DY-ə-ryte) is an intrusive igneous rock composed principally of the silicate minerals plagioclase feldspar (typically andesine), biotite, hornblende
What igneous rock is coarse grained and intermediate?
| Coarse-Grained Textures Fine-Grained Textures | Peridotite = Ultramafic Komatiite (Ultramafic, but too rare to worry about at this point in your life) | Gabbro = Mafic Basalt = Mafic | Diorite = Intermediate Andesite = Intermediate | Granite = Felsic Rhyolite = Felsic |
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What is a coarse grained rock composed of intermediate plagioclase?
Diorite, medium- to coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock that commonly is composed of about two-thirds plagioclase feldspar and one-third dark-coloured minerals, such as hornblende or biotite.
What is a coarse grained intermediate rock?
Diorite : Coarse-Grained Intermediate Rock
Being of intermediate composition between felsic and mafic, diorite is classically a salt and pepper rock made largely of white to light gray plagioclase and black hornblende. Some diorites contain biotite as well as hornblende, and some contain up to 10% quartz.
What is a coarse grained igneous rock called?
When magma finds its way to the surface through cracks or volcanoes, it is called lava. ... These crystals make a coarse-grained igneous rock called plutonic, or intrusive, igneous rock because the magma was intruded into cracks deep under the earth’s surface.
Is diorite a porphyritic?
Diorite has a phaneritic, often speckled, texture of coarse grain size and is occasionally porphyritic . ... Diorites may be associated with either granite or gabbro intrusions, into which they may subtly merge. Diorite results from the partial melting of a mafic rock above a subduction zone.
What is the most common type of extrusive rock?
In some extrusive rocks, like pumice and scoria, air and other gases are trapped in the lava as it cools. We can see holes remaining in the rock where the bubbles of gas were located. The most common extrusive rock is basalt . The black beaches of Hawaii are formed from eroded basalt.
What are the three main classes of rock?
There are three kinds of rock: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic . Igneous rocks form when molten rock (magma or lava) cools and solidifies. Sedimentary rocks originate when particles settle out of water or air, or by precipitation of minerals from water. They accumulate in layers.
Is andesite an intermediate?
Andesite is an extrusive rock intermediate in composition between rhyolite and basalt . Andesite lava is of moderate viscosity and forms thick lava flows and domes. The word andesite is derived from the Andes Mountains in South America, where andesite is common.
What are the 4 types of igneous rocks?
Classification By Mineral Abundance
Igneous rocks can be divided into four categories based on their chemical composition: felsic, intermediate, mafic, and ultramafic .
Is diorite an intermediate?
Diorite is an intrusive rock intermediate in composition between gabbro and granite. It is produced in volcanic arcs, and in mountain building where it can occur in large volumes as batholiths in the roots of mountains (e.g. Scotland, Norway).
Why is diorite considered a coarse-grained intermediate rock?
There, the basaltic magma mixes with granitic magmas or melts granitic rock as it ascends through the continental plate. This produces a melt that is intermediate in composition between basalt and granite . ... This makes diorite a coarse-grained rock with a contrasting mix of black and white mineral grains.
What are the most common coarse rocks?
Gabbro . Crushed gabbro is commonly used as concrete aggregate, railroad ballast and road metal. This coarse-grained igneous rock is formed intrusively and composed of layers of minerals such as feldspar and augite.
What are the 3 main types of igneous rocks?
- andesite.
- basalt.
- dacite.
- obsidian.
- pumice.
How are metamorphic rocks classified?
Metamorphic rocks are broadly classified as foliated or non-foliated . Non-foliated metamorphic rocks do not have aligned mineral crystals. Non-foliated rocks form when pressure is uniform, or near the surface where pressure is very low. ... The other minerals have been crushed and deformed into a fine-grained matrix (Mtx).
What are the two types of igneous rocks?
The two main categories of igneous rocks are extrusive and intrusive . Extrusive rocks are formed on the surface of the Earth from lava, which is magma that has emerged from underground. Intrusive rocks are formed from magma that cools and solidifies within the crust of the planet.
