igneous
Diabase (Dolerite)
Mafic intrusive igneous rock
Hardness of 6-7 on the Mohs scale, grayish-green to dark gray or black color, submetallic to dull luster, ophitic texture with plagioclase feldspar laths enclosed in pyroxene, specific gravity around 2.9-3.1
Identified More igneous →
Explore Diabase (Dolerite) in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness of 6-7 on the Mohs scale, grayish-green to dark gray or black color, submetallic to dull luster, ophitic texture with plagioclase feldspar laths enclosed in pyroxene, specific gravity around 2.9-3.1
Formation & geological history
Formed from the cooling and solidification of mafic magma in shallow intrusions such as dikes and sills, typically occurring in continental rift zones and ancient orogenic belts
Uses & applications
Used widely in construction as crushed stone, aggregate, railroad ballast, and dimension stone due to its durability
Geological facts
Diabase is chemically equivalent to basalt and gabbro, differing mainly in crystal grain size and cooling environment as an intermediate intrusive rock
Field identification & locations
Identified by its fine to medium-grained, speckled greenish-gray appearance with visible white plagioclase laths set in a darker pyroxene groundmass; commonly found in ancient flood basalt provinces and diabase sills worldwide
