IGNEOUS ROCKS

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 WHAT IS AN IGNEOUS ROCK?
An igneous rock is a rock
that has formed from the
cooling and solidification
of magma or lava.

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 MAGMA LAVA
Melted rock Melted rock
that is beneath that is at or
the surface of near the surface
the Earth. of the Earth.

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 Lava
Magma
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 TYPES OF IGNEOUS ROCKS
Igneous rocks are classified
according to where they
cooled and solidified.

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 INTRUSIVE EXTRUSIVE
IGNEOUS ROCKS IGNEOUS ROCKS
Rocks that form Rocks that form
from magma from lava
cooling and cooling and
solidifying while solidifying while
still inside the at or near the
Earth Earth

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 Scheme for Igneous Rock Identification CRYSTAL
SIZE
TEXTURE

crystalline
Obsidian Non-
Basaltic glass vesicular

non-
ENVIRONMENT OF FORMATION
(usually appears black) Glassy

EXTRUSIVE
EXTRUSIVE
(Volcanic)
Pumice Scoria Vesicular
(gas

IGNEOUS ROCKS
Vesicular rhyolite Vesicular Vesicular basalt pockets)
andesite

less than
1 mm
Fine
Andesite Basalt
Rhyolite
Diabase

larger 10 mm
Dunite
INTRUSIVE

10 mm 1 mm
Peri- Non-

INTRUSIVE
Granite Diorite Coarse

to
(Plutonic)
Gabbro dotite vesicular

Very
Pegmatite

or
coarse
CHARACTERISTICS

LIGHTER COLOR DARKER

LOWER DENSITY HIGHER

FELSIC COMPOSITION MAFIC
(rich in Si, Al) (rich in Fe, Mg)
100% 100%
Potassium
feldspar
(pink to white)
75% 75%
MINERAL COMPOSITION

Quartz
(relative by volume)

(clear to
white) Plagioclase feldspar
(white to gray)
50% 50%
Pyroxene
(green)
Biotite
(black)
25% Olivine 25%
(green)

P. 6 of ESRT
Amphibole
(black)

0% 0%

LAST 6 Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables — 2010 NEXT

 INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS
Because these rocks form inside the
Earth, where it is very hot, it takes a
long time for the magma to cool
and solidify. This time allows mineral
crystals to grow large. So all intrusive
igneous rocks have inter-grown crystals
that are larger than 1mm.

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 INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS

PEGMATITE GRANITE
*Notice the large mineral crystals
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 SIZE

crystalline
Obsidian Non-
Basaltic glass vesicular

INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS

non-
ENVIRONMENT OF FORMATION

(usually appears black) Glassy

EXTRUSIVE
(Volcanic)
Pumice Scoria Vesicular
(gas
Vesicular rhyolite Vesicular Vesicular basalt pockets)
andesite

less than
1 mm
Fine
Andesite Basalt
Rhyolite
Diabase

larger 10 mm
Dunite
10 mm 1 mm
Peri- Non-
INTRUSIVE

Granite Diorite Coarse

to
(Plutonic)

Gabbro dotite vesicular

Very
Pegmatite

or
coarse

LIGHTER COLOR DARKER

Environment of Formation
LOWER DENSITY Range of crystal sizes
HIGHER
(where the rock formed)
FELSIC COMPOSITION MAFIC
ch in Si, Al) Texture
(rich in Fe, Mg)
100% (description
100%of crystal
Names of common
Potassium sizes)
intrusive igneous rocks
feldspar
(pink to white)
Non-vesicular means these rocks do
75% 75%
not have any trapped air bubbles
Quartz
(clear to
white) Plagioclase feldspar

P. 6 of ESRT
(white to gray)
50% 50%
Pyroxene
(green)
Biotite
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 EXTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS
Because these rocks form on or near the
surface of the Earth, where temperatures
are lower, the lava cools and
solidifies quickly. Without time,
crystals cannot grow very large, or may
not even form at all. So all extrusive
igneous rocks have either no crystals, or
crystals that are smaller than 1mm.
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 EXTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS

BASALT RHYOLITE
*Notice the mineral crystals are so small, you can barely see them
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 EXTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS

BASALTIC GLASS OBSIDIAN

*These extrusive igneous rocks formed so quickly, no crystals were
able to form. They are called “glassy” or “non-crystalline.”
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 STREAM VELOCITY (cm/s)
This generalized graph shows the water velocity

EXTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS

needed to maintain, but not start, movement. Variations
occur due to differences in particle density and shape.

Scheme for Igneous Rock Identification CRYSTAL

SIZE
TEXTURE

crystalline
Obsidian Non-
Basaltic glass vesicular

non-
ENVIRONMENT OF FORMATION

(usually appears black) Glassy

EXTRUSIVE
(Volcanic)

Pumice Scoria Vesicular

(gas
Vesicular rhyolite Vesicular Vesicular basalt pockets)
andesite

less than
1 mm
Fine
Andesite Basalt
Rhyolite
Diabase

larger 10 mm
Dunite
10 mm 1 mm
Peri- Non-
INTRUSIVE

Granite Diorite Coarse

to
(Plutonic)

Gabbro dotite vesicular

Environment of Formation Very

Pegmatite Range of crystal sizes

or
(where the rock formed) coarse

Texture
Names of common (description of crystal
LIGHTER intrusive igneous rocks COLOR DARKER
sizes)
LOWER DENSITY HIGHER
FELSIC COMPOSITION Some of these
MAFIC rocks have trapped gas

P. 6 of ESRT
ich in Si, Al) (rich in Fe,
bubbles, Mg)do not
some
100% 100%
Potassium
feldspar
LAST (pink to white)
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 A quick review...
✓ Igneous rocks form from cooled and solidified magma
or lava.

✓ When magma cools slowly inside Earth, we get intrusive

(plutonic) igneous rocks with large crystals.

✓ When lava cools quickly at or near Earth’s surface, we

get extrusive (volcanic) igneous rocks with small or no
crystals. These may be vesicular, meaning there are
trapped gas bubbles.

✓ Page 6 of the ESRT shows common igneous rocks and

their characteristics.

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 Scheme for Igneous Rock Identification CRYSTAL
SIZE
TEXTURE

IGNEOUS ROCK COLORS

crystalline
Obsidian Non-
Basaltic glass vesicular

non-
ENVIRONMENT OF FORMATION
(usually appears black) Glassy

EXTRUSIVE
(Volcanic)
Pumice Scoria Vesicular
(gas

IGNEOUS ROCKS
Vesicular rhyolite Vesicular Vesicular basalt pockets)
andesite

less than
1 mm
Fine
Andesite Basalt
Rhyolite
Diabase

larger 10 mm
Dunite
10 mm 1 mm
Peri- Non-

INTRUSIVE
Granite Diorite Coarse

to
(Plutonic)
Gabbro dotite vesicular

Very
Pegmatite

or
coarse
CHARACTERISTICS

LIGHTER COLOR DARKER

LOWER DENSITY HIGHER

FELSIC COMPOSITION MAFIC
(rich in Si, Al) (rich in Fe, Mg)
100% 100%
Potassium
feldspar
(pink to white)
75% 75%
MINERAL COMPOSITION

Quartz
(relative by volume)

(clear to
white) Plagioclase feldspar
(white to gray)
50% 50%
Pyroxene
(green)
Biotite
(black)
25% Olivine 25%
(green)
Amphibole
(black)

0% 0%

LAST 6 Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables — 2 NEXT

 Scheme for Igneous Rock Identification CRYSTAL
SIZE
TEXTURE

IGNEOUS ROCK DENSITY

crystalline
Obsidian Non-
Basaltic glass vesicular

non-
ENVIRONMENT OF FORMATION
(usually appears black) Glassy

EXTRUSIVE
(Volcanic)
Pumice Scoria Vesicular
(gas

IGNEOUS ROCKS
Vesicular rhyolite Vesicular Vesicular basalt pockets)
andesite

less than
1 mm
Fine
Andesite Basalt
Rhyolite
Diabase

larger 10 mm
Dunite
10 mm 1 mm
Peri- Non-

INTRUSIVE
Granite Diorite Coarse

to
(Plutonic)
Gabbro dotite vesicular

Very
Pegmatite

or
coarse
CHARACTERISTICS

LIGHTER COLOR DARKER

LOWER DENSITY HIGHER

FELSIC COMPOSITION MAFIC
(rich in Si, Al) (rich in Fe, Mg)
100% 100%
Potassium
feldspar
(pink to white)
75% 75%
MINERAL COMPOSITION

Quartz
(relative by volume)

(clear to
white) Plagioclase feldspar
(white to gray)
50% 50%
Pyroxene
(green)
Biotite
(black)
25% Olivine 25%
(green)
Amphibole
(black)

0% 0%

LAST 6 Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables — 2 NEXT

 Scheme for Igneous Rock Identification CRYSTAL
SIZE
TEXTURE

IGNEOUS ROCK COMPOSITION

crystalline
Obsidian Non-
Basaltic glass vesicular

non-
ENVIRONMENT OF FORMATION
(usually appears black) Glassy

EXTRUSIVE
(Volcanic)
Pumice Scoria Vesicular
(gas

IGNEOUS ROCKS
Vesicular rhyolite Vesicular Vesicular basalt pockets)
andesite

less than
1 mm
Fine
Andesite Basalt
Rhyolite
Diabase

larger 10 mm
Dunite
10 mm 1 mm
Peri- Non-

INTRUSIVE
Granite Diorite Coarse

to
(Plutonic)
Gabbro dotite vesicular

Very
Pegmatite

or
coarse
CHARACTERISTICS

LIGHTER COLOR DARKER

LOWER DENSITY HIGHER

FELSIC COMPOSITION MAFIC
(rich in Si, Al) (rich in Fe, Mg)
100% 100%
Potassium
feldspar
(pink to white)
75% 75%
MINERAL COMPOSITION

Quartz
(relative by volume)

(clear to
white) Plagioclase feldspar
(white to gray)
50% 50%
Pyroxene
(green)
Biotite
(black)
25% Olivine 25%
(green)
Amphibole
(black)

0% 0%

LAST 6 Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables — 2 NEXT

 This generalized graph shows the water velocity

IGNEOUS ROCK MINERALS

Find the rock name and look below it to see
needed to maintain, but not start, movement. Variations
occur due to differences in particle density and shape.

what minerals may be present in that rock.

Scheme for Igneous Rock Identification CRYSTAL TEXTURE
SIZE

crystalline
Obsidian Non-
Basaltic glass vesicular

non-
ENVIRONMENT OF FORMATION
(usually appears black) Glassy

EXTRUSIVE
(Volcanic)
Pumice Scoria Vesicular
(gas

IGNEOUS ROCKS
Vesicular rhyolite Vesicular Vesicular basalt pockets)
andesite

less than
1 mm
Fine
Andesite Basalt
Rhyolite
Diabase

larger 10 mm
Dunite
10 mm 1 mm
Peri- Non-

INTRUSIVE
Granite Diorite Coarse

to
(Plutonic)
Gabbro dotite vesicular

Very
Pegmatite

or
coarse
CHARACTERISTICS

LIGHTER COLOR DARKER

LOWER DENSITY HIGHER

FELSIC COMPOSITION MAFIC
(rich in Si, Al) (rich in Fe, Mg)
100% 100%
Potassium
feldspar
(pink to white)
75% 75%
MINERAL COMPOSITION

Quartz
(relative by volume)

(clear to
white) Plagioclase feldspar
(white to gray)
50% 50%
Pyroxene
(green)
Biotite
(black)
25% Olivine 25%
(green)
Amphibole
(black)

0% 0%

LAST 6 Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables — 2010

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