What is the mineral composition of diorite?
Diorite
| Type | Igneous Rock |
|---|---|
| Color | Approximately half dark, half white minerals |
| Mineral Composition | Sodium – Calcium Plagioclase, Quartz, Hornblende, Biotite |
| Miscellaneous | Salt and Pepper Appearance |
| Tectonic Environment | Convergent Boundary – Intruded into batholiths above Island Arc-type Subduction Zone |
Which type of igneous rock is diorite?
intrusive igneous rock
diorite, medium- to coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock that commonly is composed of about two-thirds plagioclase feldspar and one-third dark-coloured minerals, such as hornblende or biotite.
How is diorite igneous rock formed?
Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock. Diorite formed deep within the Earth’s crust from cooling magma that never made it to the surface. It usually occurs as quite small intrusions often associated with larger intrusions like granite. Slow cooling produces the large crystals.
Why is diorite an igneous rock?
Diorite is intrusive igneous rock. So, when the partial melting of an oceanic plate takes place, the resulting basaltic magma rises and intrudes on the rocky continental plate. If granitic magma or rocks are present there, the mixing of basaltic and granitic magmas are taking place under the continental crust/plate.
What metamorphic rock is formed from diorite?
Diorite – Medium-grained hornblende diorite metamorphosed in part to amphibolite and hornblende gneiss. Diorite and gabbro – Complex of diorite and gabbro, subordinate metavolcanic rocks and intrusive granite and granodiorite.
Which igneous rock has the most similar composition to diorite?
andesite
Diorite and andesite are similar rocks. They have the same mineral composition and occur in the same geographic areas.
What are diorite used for?
It is used as a base material in the construction of roads, buildings, and parking areas. It is also used as a drainage stone and for erosion control. In the dimension stone industry, diorite is often cut into facing stone, tile, ashlars, blocking, pavers, curbing, and a variety of dimension stone products.
What is diorite and its importance?
One important use is as stone for buildings and statues. Diorite was used extensively by ancient civilizations for vases and other decorative artwork and is still used for art today (Figure 1). Granite (figure 2) is used both in building construction and for statues. It is also a popular choice for kitchen countertops.
What is diorite used for?
Is diorite a metamorphic rock?
It is a metamorphosed gabbro (metagabbro or more specifically hornblende-scapolite rock). The original pyroxene-plagioclase assemblage has been hydrothermally altered to hornblende-scapolite assemblage.
Is diorite volcanic or plutonic?
Diorite is the plutonic equivalent of the volcanic rock andesite and is intermediate between gabbro and granite. Diorite occurs around margins of granitic batholiths, in separate plutons, and in dikes.
What processes form diorite?
Diorite is a course-grained igneous rock that forms when magma rich in silica cools slowly deep within the Earth’s crust.