Basalt

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Basalt

Basalt (/bəˈsɔːlt, ˈbeɪsɒlt/, from Latin basaltes, a hard stone) is a type of igneous rock that forms from the rapid cooling of lava rich in magnesium and iron exposed at or very near the surface of a planet or moon.

Etymology

The term basalt is at times applied to shallow intrusive rocks with a composition typical of basalt, but rocks of this composition with a phaneritic (coarser) texture are generally referred to as diorite. The term was first used in English in the form basaltes in the late 17th century. It is borrowed from French basalte, which was imported from Late Latin basaltes, a misspelling of Latin basanites, which was borrowed from Ancient Greek βασανίτης (basanites).

Formation

Basalt commonly erupts on Io (the third largest moon of Jupiter), and has also formed on Earth's Moon, Mars, Venus, and even on the asteroid Vesta. Source rocks for the partial melts probably include both peridotite and pyroxenite.

Types of Basalt

There are a number of different types of basalt including, oceanic crust basalt, continental basalt, and tholeiitic basalt.

Related Terms

External links

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