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Rhyolite

A rock classification type
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09807960017271952561031.jpg
Rhyolite

Mount Hay, Wycarbah, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia
06241100017271952599011.jpg
Rhyolite

Southern Urals, Ural Mountains, Russia
01558650017271952604001.jpg
Rhyolite

Queimado quarry, Serra, Espírito Santo, Brazil
03225900017868291228033.jpg
Rhyolite

Mount Hay, Wycarbah, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia
06241100017271952599011.jpg
Rhyolite

Southern Urals, Ural Mountains, Russia
01558650017271952604001.jpg
Rhyolite

Queimado quarry, Serra, Espírito Santo, Brazil
09807960017271952561031.jpg
Rhyolite

Mount Hay, Wycarbah, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia
06241100017271952599011.jpg
Rhyolite

Southern Urals, Ural Mountains, Russia
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About RhyoliteHide

Name:
The term was coined in 1860 by Baron von Richthofen (grandfather of the World War I aviator). Etymol: Greek rhyo-, from rhyax, stream of lava.
Rhyolite, with felsic minerals comprising >20% quartz and alkali feldspar/plagioclase 40-90%.

A group of extrusive igneous rocks, typically porphyritic and commonly exhibiting flow texture, with phenocrysts of quartz and alkali feldspar in a glassy to cryptocrystalline groundmass; also, any rock in that group; the extrusive equivalent of granite. Rhyolite grades into rhyodacite with decreasing alkali feldspar content and into trachyte with a decrease in quartz.


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
48451
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:48451:8

Similar NamesHide

Classification of RhyoliteHide

QAPF_V_3.png

Rhyolite appears in field 3 in the QAPF diagram.

TAS_R.png

Rhyolite is found in field 'R' in the TAS diagram.

Sub-divisions of RhyoliteHide

Mineralogy of RhyoliteHide

Essential minerals - these are minerals that are required within the classification of this rock:
Feldspar > Alkali FeldsparA subgroup of the Feldspar Group, poor in calcium, and mostly rich in potassium.
Feldspar > Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
Silica > QuartzSiO2

Pronunciation of RhyoliteHide

Pronunciation:
PlayRecorded byCountry
Jolyon RalphUnited Kingdom

Age distributionHide

Recorded ages:
Neoproterozoic to Quaternary : 771 ± 2 Ma to 0 Ma - based on 20 recorded ages.
Sample ages:
Sample IDRecorded ageGeologic TimeDating method
1Up to 0.0876 MaPleistocene
20.11 ± 0.10 MaPleistoceneK-Ar
30.5 ± 0.15 MaPleistoceneK-Ar
41.6 ± 0.2 MaPleistoceneK-Ar from Chang Peak
52.3 ± 0.2 MaPleistoceneK-Ar
66.5 ± 0.6 MaMioceneK-Ar whole rock
78.50 ± 0.33 to 6.4 ± 0.4 MaMioceneK-Ar
89.6 ± 1.0 MaMioceneK-Ar
910 to 6.5 MaMiocene
1015.7 ± 0.7 MaMioceneK-Ar
1121.3 ± 0.30 to 20.3 ± 0.60 MaMioceneK-Ar whole rock
1223 to 17 MaMioceneK-Ar
1325 to 19 MaCenozoicK-Ar
14120 ± 5 MaEarly/Lower CretaceousRb-Sr
15135 ± 4 MaEarly/Lower CretaceousRb-Sr
16137.2 ± 0.8 MaEarly/Lower CretaceousAr/Ar
17166 ± 10 MaMiddle Jurassic
18264 ± 6 to 8 ± 3 MaPhanerozoicK-Ar
19771 ± 2 to 751 ± 3 MaTonianU-Pb
Sample references:
IDLocalityReferenceNotes
1Changbai, Fusong County, Baishan, Jilin, China
Zou, H., Fan, Q., Zhang, H., & Schmitt, A. K. (2014). U-series zircon age constraints on the plumbing system and magma residence times of the Changbai volcano, China/North Korea border. Lithos, 200, 169-180.
2Bouvet Island, Norway
Prestvik, Tore, Winsnes, T. S. (1981) Geology of Bouvetøya, South Atlantic. Norsk polarinstitutt - Skrifter 175 p.41-68.
3Bijar occurrence, Bijar County, Kurdistan Province, Iran
Boccaletti, M., Innocenti, F., Manetti, P., Mazzuoli, R., Motamed, A., Pasquare, G., ... & Sobhani, E. A. (1976). Neogene and Quaternary volcanism of the Bijar area (western Iran). Bulletin Volcanologique, 40(2), 121-132.
4Mount Waesche and Chang Peak, Executive Committee Range, Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica, Antarctica
LeMasurier, W. E., & Rex, D. C. (1989). Evolution of linear volcanic ranges in Marie Byrd Land, west Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 94(B6), 7223-7236.
5Babba Olou Volcanic centre, Dikhil Region, Djibouti
Barberi, F., FERRARA, G., SANTACROCE, R., & Varet, J. (1975). Structural evolution of the Afar triple junction. In: Pilger, A., & Rösler, A. (1976). Afar depression of Ethiopia. Inter-Union Commission on Geodynamics, Scientific Report 14, E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Nagele u. Obermiller), Stuttgart, 38-54.
6Aden Volcano, Aden Governorate, Yemen
Dickinson, D.R.; Dodson, M.H.; Gass, I.G.; Rex, D.C. (1969) Correlation of initial 87Sr/86Sr with Rb/Sr in some late tertiary volcanic rocks of South Arabia. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 6 (1). 84-90 doi:10.1016/0012-821x(69)90178-2
7Mount Hartigan, Executive Committee Range, Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica, Antarctica
LeMasurier, W.E. (1990) B. Marie Byrd Land. In Volcanoes of the Antarctic Plate and Southern Oceans Vol. 48 - Antarctic Research Series. American Geophysical Union. p.146-255. doi:10.1029/AR048
8Jebel Khariz Volcano, Lahij Governorate, Yemen
Dickinson, D.R.; Dodson, M.H.; Gass, I.G.; Rex, D.C. (1969) Correlation of initial 87Sr/86Sr with Rb/Sr in some late tertiary volcanic rocks of South Arabia. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 6 (1). 84-90 doi:10.1016/0012-821x(69)90178-2
9Cantal Volcano, Thiézac, Aurillac, Cantal, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Nehlig, P., Leyrit, H., Dardon, A., Freour, G., de Goer de Herve, A., Huguet, D., & Thieblemont, D. (2001). Constructions et destructions du stratovolcan du Cantal. Bulletin de la Soci
10Comboyne Volcanic Province, Port Macquarie, Macquarie Co., New South Wales, Australia
McDougall, Ian, Wilkinson, J. F. G. (1967) Potassium‐argon dates on some Cainozoic volcanic rocks from Northeastern New South Wales. Journal of the Geological Society of Australia, 14 (2) 225-233 doi:10.1080/00167616708728660
11Biga Peninsula, Balikesir Province, Turkey
Aldanmaz, E, Pearce, J.A, Thirlwall, M.F, Mitchell, J.G (2000) Petrogenetic evolution of late Cenozoic, post-collision volcanism in western Anatolia, Turkey. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 102 (1) 67-95 doi:10.1016/s0377-0273(00)00182-7
12Oku Massif, Northwest Region, Cameroon
Fitton, J. G., & Dunlop, H. M. (1985). The Cameroon line, West Africa, and its bearing on the origin of oceanic and continental alkali basalt. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 72(1), 23-38. doi.org/10.1016/0012-821X(85)90114-1
13Ali Addé, Ali Sabieh Region, Djibouti
Chessex, R., Delaloye, M., Muller, J., & Weidmann, M. (1975). Evolution of the volcanic region of Ali-Sabieh (TFAI) in the light of K/Ar age determinations. Afar Depression of Ethiopia, 1, 221-227.
14Nianzishan, Longjiang County, Qiqihaer, Heilongjiang, China
Li, P. Z., & Yu, J. S. (1993). Nianzishan miarolitic alkaline granite stock, Heilongjiang
15Paresis Volcanic Complex, Outjo, Kunene Region, Namibia
MANTON, W. I., SIEDNER, G. (1967) Age of the Paresis Complex, South-West Africa. Nature, 216 (5121). 1197-1198 doi:10.1038/2161197a0
16  "  "
MILNER, S. C., LE ROEX, A. P., O'CONNOR, J. M. (1995) Age of Mesozoic igneous rocks in northwestern Namibia, and their relationship to continental breakup. Journal of the Geological Society, 152 (1). 97-104 doi:10.1144/gsjgs.152.1.0097
17Lupata Volcanic Field, Dôa District, Tete Province, Mozambique
Flores, G. (1964). On the age of the Lupata rocks, lower Zambezi River, Mozambique. South African Journal of Geology, 67(1), 111-118. https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA10120750_2711
underlying Karoo rhyolite age
18Nemrut Volcano, Ahlat District, Bitlis Province, Turkey
19Malani Igneous Province, Barmer District, Jodhpur Division, Rajasthan, India
Torsvik, T. H., Carter, L. M., Ashwal, L. D., Bhushan, S. K., Pandit, M. K., & Jamtveit, B. (2001). Rodinia refined or obscured: palaeomagnetism of the Malani igneous suite (NW India). Precambrian Research, 108(3-4), 319-333.

Synonyms of RhyoliteHide

Other Language Names for RhyoliteHide

Irish Gaelic:Rialít

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
73 photos of Rhyolite associated with QuartzSiO2
42 photos of Rhyolite associated with TopazAl2(SiO4)(F,OH)2
33 photos of Rhyolite associated with HematiteFe2O3
27 photos of Rhyolite associated with SanidineK(AlSi3O8)
25 photos of Rhyolite associated with 'Red Beryl'
24 photos of Rhyolite associated with Bixbyite-(Mn)Mn3+2O3
21 photos of Rhyolite associated with TridymiteSiO2
16 photos of Rhyolite associated with Mordenite(Na2,Ca,K2)4(Al8Si40)O96 · 28H2O
15 photos of Rhyolite associated with 'Smoky Quartz'SiO2
15 photos of Rhyolite associated with OpalSiO2 · nH2O

Internet Links for RhyoliteHide

References for RhyoliteHide

Reference List:
Quick NavTopAbout RhyoliteUnique IdentifiersSimilar NamesClassification Sub-divisions Mineralogy Pronunciation Age distributionSynonymsOther LanguagesCommon AssociatesInternet Links References
 
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