Color/Texure Identification Key for Igneous Rocks

Bowen's Reaction Series Percent Abundance Chart

Composition Texture Key Igneous Home Page
Shaded boxes can be clicked to see a picture.
White, Gray, Pink;
Light Color black minerals rare GRANITE
C O AR S E Intermediate Color Salt and Pepper
•
white/black 50/50 DIORITE
GRAINED
Phaneritic; crystals
Dark Color No light minerals;
dark gray to black GABBRO
seen by eye
Light Green; Olivine and/or
PERIDOTITE
granular; some black Pyroxene; no feldspar

Light Color White, Gray, Pink RHYOLITE

FINE FELSITE
GRAINED
A light to intermediate colored rock
which cannot be positively idenified.

Aphanitic; no crystals Dark gray typical

visible; uniform
Intermediate Color but other colors too ANDESITE
Dark Color Dark gray to black BASALT
Phenocrysts of
RHYOLITE
Light Color orthoclase and/or
L ARGE quartz PORPHORY
C R YS T A L S
(Phenocrysts)
Intermediate Color
Phenocrysts of
amphibole and/or
plagioclase
ANDESITE
PORPYRY
in groundmass Dark Color Phenocrysts of
olivine
BASALT
PORPHYRY

G L A SS Y Black, red, brown

conchoidal fracture;
breaks along smooth
curving surfaces
OBSIDIAN

Light Color White to gray; spun

PUMIICE
glass look
and light weight
VESCellular;
I C UL A R Dark Color Black, brown red SCORIA
and light weight
full of holes;
often light wieght Dark Color Black, gray to VESICULAR
and heavy brownish
BASALT
small, welded
VOLCANIC TUFF
FRAG - Any color; volcanic fragments;
often stretched out
volcanic fragments
M ENT A L cemented together angular volcanic
fragments larger than VOLCANIC
64 mm BRECCIA