diorite

diorite
dioritic /duy'euh rit"ik/, adj.
/duy"euh ruyt'/, n.
a granular igneous rock consisting essentially of plagioclase feldspar and hornblende.
[1820-30; < F < Gk dior(ízein) to distinguish (see DI-3, HORIZON) + F -ite -ITE1]

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Medium-to coarse-grained igneous rock that commonly is composed of about two-thirds plagioclase feldspar and one-third dark-coloured minerals, such as hornblende or biotite.

Diorite has about the same structural properties as granite but, perhaps because of its darker colour and more limited supply, is rarely used as an ornamental building material. It is one of the dark gray stones that is sold commercially as "black granite."

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rock
      medium- to coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock that commonly is composed of about two-thirds plagioclase feldspar and one-third dark-coloured minerals, such as hornblende or biotite. The presence of sodium-rich feldspar, oligoclase or andesine, in contrast to calcium-rich plagioclase, labradorite or bytownite, is the main distinction between diorite and gabbro. The extrusive (volcanic) equivalent of diorite is andesite.

      Diorite has about the same structural properties as granite but, perhaps because of its darker colour and more limited supply, is rarely used as an ornamental and building material. It is one of the dark gray stones that is sold commercially as black granite.

      Many diorites are truly igneous, having crystallized from molten material (magma). Diorite occurs in small bodies such as sills (tabular bodies inserted while molten between other rocks), dikes (tabular bodies injected in fissures), stocks (bodies intruded upward), or as more irregular masses associated with gabbro and batholiths (huge bodies) of granodiorite and granite.

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  • Diorite — classification on QAPF diagram Di …   Wikipedia

  • diorite — [ djɔrit ] n. f. • 1817; du gr. diorizein « distinguer » ♦ Géol. Roche éruptive grenue, formée de cristaux de feldspath (couleur blanche) et d amphibole (couleur verte). ● diorite nom féminin (grec dioridzein, distinguer) Roche plutonique… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Diorite — Di o*rite, n. [Cf. F. diorite. See {Diorism}.] (Min.) An igneous, crystalline in structure, consisting essentially of a triclinic feldspar and hornblende. It includes part of what was called greenstone. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • diorite — s. f. [Geologia] Espécie de rocha ígnea composta de feldspato e anfíbola. = DIORITO   ‣ Etimologia: francês diorite …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • diorite — [dī′ə rīt΄] n. [Fr < Gr diorizein, to divide < dia , through + horizein, to separate: see HORIZON] a dark gray, intrusive igneous rock consisting chiefly of plagioclase and hornblende …   English World dictionary

  • Diorite — Hache polie en diorite néolithique – Environs de Reims (Marnes) France – Collection d’Alexis Damour – Muséum de Toulouse PRE.2009.0.215.1 (250x52x33mm) La diorite est une roche magmatique plutonique grenue composée de plagioclase, d amphibole …   Wikipédia en Français

  • diorite — (di o ri t ) s. m. Terme de minéralogie. Roche nommée Grünstein par les Allemands, qui se compose essentiellement de feldspath et d amphibolite, et qui passe souvent à une masse homogène. Le diorite porte aussi le nom de diabase. ÉTYMOLOGIE… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • diorite — di·o·rì·te s.f. TS petr. roccia eruttiva plutonica a struttura granulare con prevalenza di plagioclasi associati a pirosseni, anfiboli o biotite {{line}} {{/line}} DATA: 1817. ETIMO: dal fr. diorite, 1817, der. del gr. diorízō distinguo …   Dizionario italiano

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  • diorite-plagiogranitic — adjective Composed of diorite and plagiogranite …   Wiktionary

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