Igneous rocks that are medium colored and have no silica are called mafic rocks. They are mainly composed of magnesium and iron.
Felsic igneous rock contains the highest proportion of silica. Granites are felsic igneous rocks.
They are not low in silicate minerals. They are still primarily composed of them. However, the amount of silica in them is lower than in the lighter-colored rocks. The lightest igneous rocks (felsic) are at least 70% silica while the dark ones (mafic) are between 45% and 52% silica. Silica content below 45% is deemed ultramafic.
The igneous rock you are referring to is basalt. It is a fine-grained, dense, and dark-colored rock that forms from low-silica magma rich in iron and magnesium.
Generally, igneous rocks that are low in silica are dark relative to those that are high in silica. This tendency is largely the result of rocks low in silica having increased iron. Iron minerals tend to adsorb significant amounts of the visible spectrum and hence appear dark. I want to emphasize that this is a general tendency and there are exeptions -- obsidian which is very high in silica is typically a dark to black rock and a special igneous rock call carbonatite is very light in color but has little silica.
Light-coloured igneous rocks, such as granite, have a higher silica content and lower iron and magnesium than darker ones, such as basalt. Since iron and magnesium are very dense minerals, this makes darker igneous rocks more dense than lighter ones.
Light colored igneous rocks are part of the felsic family. These rocks are rich in silica and aluminum minerals, giving them their light color. Examples include granite and rhyolite.
Mafic igneous rocks, like basalt, are dark colored and low in silica.
Basalt is a dark-colored, low-silica igneous rock commonly found as a result of volcanic activity. Its composition typically contains around 50% silica, making it relatively low in silica compared to other igneous rocks like granite.
Mafic igneous rocks, like basalt, are dark colored and low in silica.
majority
Felsic igneous rock contains the highest proportion of silica. Granites are felsic igneous rocks.
Granite has more silica than basalt. Granite is a light-colored, coarse-grained igneous rock made up of quartz, feldspar, and mica, which are minerals rich in silica. Basalt, on the other hand, is a dark-colored, fine-grained igneous rock with lower silica content compared to granite.
felsic
They are not low in silicate minerals. They are still primarily composed of them. However, the amount of silica in them is lower than in the lighter-colored rocks. The lightest igneous rocks (felsic) are at least 70% silica while the dark ones (mafic) are between 45% and 52% silica. Silica content below 45% is deemed ultramafic.
The igneous rock you are referring to is basalt. It is a fine-grained, dense, and dark-colored rock that forms from low-silica magma rich in iron and magnesium.
Generally, igneous rocks that are low in silica are dark relative to those that are high in silica. This tendency is largely the result of rocks low in silica having increased iron. Iron minerals tend to adsorb significant amounts of the visible spectrum and hence appear dark. I want to emphasize that this is a general tendency and there are exeptions -- obsidian which is very high in silica is typically a dark to black rock and a special igneous rock call carbonatite is very light in color but has little silica.
Light-coloured igneous rocks, such as granite, have a higher silica content and lower iron and magnesium than darker ones, such as basalt. Since iron and magnesium are very dense minerals, this makes darker igneous rocks more dense than lighter ones.