igneous
Basalt with Xenolith
Extrusive Igneous Rock
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 6 on the Mohs scale; dark black groundmass with lighter crustal xenolith inclusions; vesicular texture with visible gas cavities; aphanitic luster.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 6 on the Mohs scale; dark black groundmass with lighter crustal xenolith inclusions; vesicular texture with visible gas cavities; aphanitic luster.
Formation & geological history
Formed from rapidly cooling mafic lava erupted at the Earth's surface, incorporating older surrounding rock fragments during ascent.
Uses & applications
Used in aggregate for construction, road building, and occasionally as decorative stone or in landscaping.
Geological facts
Vesicles form when trapped volcanic gases escape as the lava solidifies. Xenoliths provide direct physical samples of the deep crust or mantle.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its dark, fine-grained volcanic matrix contrasting with embedded foreign rock fragments. Found globally in volcanic regions.
