Mafic rock typically appears dark in color due to its high content of iron and magnesium-rich minerals, such as olivine and pyroxene. Common examples include basalt and gabbro, which often display a fine- to coarse-grained texture. The mineral composition usually results in a dense, heavy feel, and these rocks can exhibit a variety of textures, including porphyritic or vesicular formations. Overall, their dark hues and mineral characteristics are key identifiers of mafic rock.
None. Basalt is formed by the rapid cooling of mafic (silica-poor) magma. It is not formed from sedimentary rock.
Andesite is considered an intermediate rock between granite (felsic igneous rock) and basalt (mafic igneous rock), based on chemical composition.
No. First of all, the terms mafic and felsic generally only apply to igneous rock. even among igneous rocks, mafic and felsic are just ranges on a "spectrum" of composition. Other classifications and examples include ultramafic (peridotite), intermediate (andesite), and intermediate-felsic (dacite).
Dark, mafic rock is relatively rich in iron and magnesium.
Basalt is considered igneous because it forms when mafic lava cools at Earth's surface.
Basalt is a common example of a mafic rock. It is dark in color, fine-grained, and rich in minerals like pyroxene and olivine. Basalt is formed from the solidification of magma with low silica content, typically from volcanic activity.
The dark-colored igneous rock rich in iron and magnesium is called basalt. Basalt is a fine-grained rock that is commonly found in volcanic areas and oceanic crust. It is characterized by its dark color due to the presence of minerals like pyroxene and olivine.
No. The terms felsic and mafic refers to the relative content of certain minerals in the magma or rock. A mafic rock can be extrusive like basalt, or intrusive like gabbro. Basalt and gabbro can be identical in chemical composition.
Mafic is a silicate mineral or rock that is rich in magnesium and iron, and is usually dark in color. It is formed from cooling volcanic lava.
Mafic minerals generally have a relatively high density compared to felsic minerals. This is because mafic minerals are rich in iron and magnesium, which are denser elements. As a result, rocks rich in mafic minerals like basalt and gabbro tend to be heavier and denser than rocks composed of felsic minerals like granite.
No, granite is not considered mafic. It is an igneous rock that is classified as felsic due to its high silica content and lower concentration of iron and magnesium minerals compared to mafic rocks like basalt.
No. Granite is an intrusive felsic rock.
Mafic
Mafic and felsic.
No, pumice is an example of a felsic igneous rock. Mafic rocks, like basalt, have lower silica content and higher iron and magnesium content compared to felsic rocks, like pumice, which have higher silica content and lower iron and magnesium content.
Gabbro is a type of mafic phaneritic rock. It is composed mainly of pyroxene, plagioclase feldspar, and often contains minor amounts of amphibole, olivine, or biotite. Gabbro forms from the slow crystallization of mafic magma deep within the Earth's crust.
Mafic igneous rocks, like basalt, are dark colored and low in silica.