Gabbroid
A rock classification type
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
About Gabbroid
A field term for coarse-grained crystalline rocks with <90% mafics, and calcic plagioclase dominant.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
48265
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:48265:3
Classification of Gabbroid

float='left'>Gabbroic rocks are in sections 9,9*,9',10,10* and 10' of the QAPF diagram.
Sub-divisions of Gabbroid
- Gabbroid
- Calcogranitone
- Drusite
- Quartz-monzogabbro
- Monzogabbro
- Foid-bearing-monzogabbro
- Quartz-gabbro
- Gabbro
- Allalin-gabbro
- Cumulitic gabbro
- Orbicular gabbro
- Clinopyroxene-gabbro
- Olivine-gabbro
- Gabbronorite
- Olivine-gabbronorite
- Pyroxene-hornblende-gabbronorite
- Hornblende-gabbro
- Norite
- Clinopyroxene-norite
- Olivine-clinopyroxene norite
- Olivine-norite
- Pyroxene-hornblende-norite
- Olivine-orthopyroxene-gabbro
- Orthopyroxene-gabbro
- Pyroxene-hornblende-gabbro
- Troctolite
- Gabbrodiorite
- Leucogabbro
- Melagabbro
- Quartz-norite
- Microgabbro
- Pegmatitic gabbro
- Quartz gabbro
- Anorthitissite
- Ferrogabbro
- Foid-bearing-gabbro
- Foid-bearing gabbroic-rock
Mineralogy of Gabbroid
Essential minerals - these are minerals that are required within the classification of this rock:
| Calcic plagioclase | A petrological term for plagioclase series feldspars dominant in calcium. |
| Mafic minerals | A petrological term for dark, rock-forming minerals rich in magnesium and/or iron. |
Non-essential minerals - these minerals are common, sometimes major components, but are not always present:
| Amphibole > Hornblende | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZ3+m)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Mica > Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
Age distribution
Recorded ages:
Neochaotian to Quaternary : ~4600 Ma to 0 Ma - based on 19 recorded ages.
Sample ages:
| Sample ID | Recorded age | Geologic Time | Dating method |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12.8 ± 1.3 Ma | Miocene | K-Ar |
| 2 | 16 ± 1 Ma | Miocene | K-Ar |
| 3 | 43 ± 2 Ma | Eocene | K-Ar |
| 4 | 53.1 ± 4.2 to 44 ± 2 Ma | Eocene | K-Ar for the gabbro |
| 5 | 90 ± 2 Ma | Late/Upper Cretaceous | K-Ar |
| 6 | 92.5 ± 3 to 83 ± 3 Ma | Late/Upper Cretaceous | K-Ar |
| 7 | 125 Ma | Early/Lower Cretaceous | K-Ar |
| 8 | 130 to 124 Ma | Early/Lower Cretaceous | K-Ar |
| 9 | 136 ± 4 to 110 ± 9 Ma | Early/Lower Cretaceous | K-Ar |
| 10 | 140 ± 3 to 135 ± 3 Ma | Early/Lower Cretaceous | K-Ar |
| 11 | 229 ± 5 Ma | Late/Upper Triassic | K-Ar |
| 12 | 258.8 ± 2.3 Ma | Lopingian | U-Pb zircon from gabbro |
| 13 | 261 ± 2 Ma | Guadalupian | U-Pb |
| 14 | 305.9 ± 3.5 Ma | Pennsylvanian | Re-Os |
| 15 | 419.2 ± 3.2 to 358.9 ± 0.4 Ma | Devonian | |
| 16 | 2701 ± 8 Ma | Neoarchean | Sm-Nd |
| 17 | ~4600 to 541 ± 1.0 Ma | Precambrian |
Sample references:
Synonyms of Gabbroid
Internet Links for Gabbroid
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-48265.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
References for Gabbroid
Reference List:






Gabbro Quarry, Radau valley, Bad Harzburg, Goslar District, Lower Saxony, Germany