igneous
Basalt with Quartz Vein
Mafic Igneous Rock (SiO2 filling)
Hardness: 6-7 (quartz) and 5-6 (basalt); Color: Grey-black basalt with white/creamy quartz; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Structure: Fine-grained/aphanitic base; Cleavage: None/conchoidal.
- Hardness
- 6-7 (quartz) and 5-6 (basalt)
- Color
- Grey-black basalt with white/creamy quartz
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 (quartz) and 5-6 (basalt); Color: Grey-black basalt with white/creamy quartz; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Structure: Fine-grained/aphanitic base; Cleavage: None/conchoidal.
Formation & geological history
Formed through rapid cooling of magnesium-rich and iron-rich lava at the earth's surface. The white section is a quartz vein formed later by hydrothermal fluids filling fractures in the cooled basalt.
Uses & applications
Used in construction as crushed stone or aggregate. High-quality smooth specimens are used as decorative garden stones or in holistic massage (hot stones).
Geological facts
Basalt is the most common rock type on Earth's crust and also makes up most of the surface of the Moon and Mars.
Field identification & locations
Identify by the contrast between the dark, dense volcanic rock and the hard, light-colored mineral vein. Commonly found in coastal areas, riverbeds, and volcanic fields.
