Basalt, light micrograph
Polarised light micrograph of a sample of basalt from Seis, South Tyrol, Italy. Basalt is formed when the earth's mantle melts. The thin, low-silica magma cools relatively quickly when released to the Earth's surface or ocean. The magma usually contains inclusions (xenocryst) of minerals or entire rocks (xenolite) with a higher melting point, which were carried along during the ascent. Basalt consists mainly of a mixture of iron and magnesium silicates with pyroxene and calcium-rich feldspar (plagioclase) and also olivine. Magnification: x30 when printed at 15 centimetres wide.
Size: 6400px × 4267px
Location:
Photo credit: © EYE OF SCIENCE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -, aphanitic, basalt, extrusive, feldspar, geological, geology, igneous, light, lm, magma, micrograph, microscopy, mineral, mineralogical, mineralogy, olivine, petrography, polarised, polarized, rock, section, seis, silica, silicate, silicon, south, stone, thin, tyrol, volcanic
