Basalt

Dark grey fine grained volcanic rock composed of plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine, with relatively low silica (45-52 wt %). The composition reflects an upper mantle origin. Basalt is the most common type of volcanic rock on Earth, and it erupts from mid-ocean spreading ridges and hot spots (e.g., Hawaii and Iceland). The intrusive coarsely crystalline igneous rock equivalent is called gabbro.

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Word of the Week – Vadose Zone

Word of the Week – Vadose Zone

Vadose Zone A hydrogeological term that represents the volume of rock and unconsolidated materials between the ground surface and the underlying water table, in which pores and cracks are...

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Word of the Week – Wairakite

Word of the Week – Wairakite

Wairakite A zeolite mineral of hydrothermal origin that was first identified in the Wairakei geothermal field in New Zealand by Alfred Steiner. It forms clear to white prismatic crystals,...

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