composed of at least two minerals having a conspicuous (large) difference in grain size.
The larger grains are termed phenocrysts and the finer grains either matrix or groundmass (see the drawing below and image to the left).
Porphyritic rocks are thought to have undergone two stages of cooling; one at depth where the larger phenocrysts formed and a second at or near the surface where the matrix grains crystallized.
[image]
Both aphanitic and phaneritic rocks can be porphyritic, but the former are far more common.
Most often the porphritic term is utilized as a modifier.
For instance, an andesite with visible phenocrysts of plagioclase feldspar would be termed an andesite porphyry or porphyritic andesite (see photo above).
Forms from slow, then rapid cooling and/or change in magma viscosity or comp.
|