OLIVINE XENOLITH IN LAVA - Hawaii, USA
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Mass of olivine crystals in lava
Hawaii, USA
The lava fields of Hawaii contain ‘xenoliths’ which is the word used to describe pieces of ‘foreign’ material found as inclusions in igneous rock. Here the xenoliths consist of a mass of crystals of the iron mineral olivine within basalt lava.
These xenoliths originate at great depth in the Earth’s mantle and are brought to the surface by volcanoes.
The gem-quality variety of olivine is known as the gemstone peridot.
Click on a picture for a larger image
Size: 10 x 7.5 x 6.5 centimetres
Weight: 348 grams
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