Gabbro
Gabbro is a coarse-grained intrusive rock that is mainly composed of plagioclase feldspar and pyroxenes which give this rock its black or dark green color. Gabbro is mainly found in lava flows of basaltic composition under the continental curst or be present within deep plutons. Gabbro can also be found underneath a layer of basalt at the oceanic crust, because the lower layers cool slower and minerals have the change to develop. Gabbro is the intrusive variant of basalt.
Characteristics
Abundant minerals in gabbro are plagioclase feldspar and pyroxenes, but amounts of olivine can also be present. A more detailed description can be seen on the chart on the right. Due to the slow cooling of the lava/magma crystals have time to develop and can be spotted with the naked eye in contrary to basalt.
References
Gabbro
| Type | Intrusive igneous rock |
|---|---|
| Clasts | Coarse grained |
| Hardness | Very hard |
| Color | Black or dark green |
| Minerals | Plagioclase feldspar and pyroxenes |
| Touch | Rough |
| Image | Gabbro |
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