igneous
Diabase
Diabase (Dolerite)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 6-7 on Mohs scale, dark gray to black color, submetallic to dull luster, dense crystalline structure with medium-grained texture.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 6-7 on Mohs scale, dark gray to black color, submetallic to dull luster, dense crystalline structure with medium-grained texture.
Formation & geological history
Formed from cooling and solidifying of basaltic magma in shallow intrusions like sills and dikes.
Uses & applications
Used extensively in construction as crushed stone, road aggregate, and dimension stone.
Geological facts
Often called dolerite in the UK and Australia; it serves as a common intrusive equivalent to extrusive basalt.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its interlocking plagioclase and pyroxene crystals creating a salt-and-pepper appearance; found globally in ancient dikes and sills.
