igneous
Basalt with Vesicles
Extrusive igneous rock (Mafic)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness 6 on Mohs scale, dark gray to black color, dull luster, aphanitic texture with prominent rounded vesicles (gas cavities).
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Physical properties
Hardness 6 on Mohs scale, dark gray to black color, dull luster, aphanitic texture with prominent rounded vesicles (gas cavities).
Formation & geological history
Formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity, gas-rich basaltic lava flows at the Earth's surface.
Uses & applications
Used in construction, aggregate, road base, and occasionally as decorative stone or landscaping material.
Geological facts
Vesicles form when gases dissolved in the magma expand and are trapped as the lava solidifies. When these holes later fill with secondary minerals, it becomes amygdaloidal basalt.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its dark, fine-grained matrix and characteristic Swiss-cheese-like holes. Found worldwide in volcanic provinces, oceanic crust, and flood basalt regions.
