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Diorite is an intrusive igneous rock composed principally of the silicate minerals plagioclase feldspar (typically andesine), biotite, hornblende, and sometimes pyroxene.The chemical composition of diorite is intermediate, between that of mafic gabbro and felsic granite.
Quartz diorite – Igneous, plutonic rock – A diorite with >5% modal quartz; Quartz monzonite – Type of igneous rock – An intermediate plutonic rock, essentially a monzonite with 5–10% modal quartz; Quartzolite – Extremely rare igneous rock made mostly of quartz – An intrusive rock composed mostly of quartz
Quartz diorite from Dúbrava, Nízke Tatry Mountains, Slovakia. Quartz diorite is an igneous, plutonic rock, of felsic composition, with phaneritic texture. Feldspar is present as plagioclase (typically oligoclase or andesine) with 10% or less potassium feldspar. Quartz is present at between 5 and 20% of the rock.
Napoleonite is a variety of diorite which is characterized by orbicular structure. The grey matrix of the stone has the normal appearance of a diorite, but contains many rounded lumps 1 or 2 inches in diameter, which show concentric zones of light and dark colors.
These rocks (diorite, andesite) are typically darker in colour than felsic rocks and somewhat more dense. Mafic rocks have a relatively low silica content and are composed mostly of pyroxenes, olivines and calcic plagioclase. These rocks (basalt, gabbro) are usually dark coloured, and have a higher density than felsic rocks.
Examples of phaneritic igneous rocks are gabbro, diorite, and granite. Porphyritic textures develop when conditions during the cooling of magma change relatively quickly. The earlier formed minerals will have formed slowly and remain as large crystals, whereas, sudden cooling causes the rapid crystallization of the remainder of the melt into a ...
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Quartz (SiO 2) is present as more than 20% of the total quartz-alkali feldspar-plagioclase-feldspathoid content of the rock. [1] [2] Amphiboles and biotite are common in lesser quantities, while accessory minerals include apatite, magnetite and zircon. [3] [4] In older references tonalite is sometimes used as a synonym for quartz diorite.