mafic
Americanadjective
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Relating to an igneous rock that contains a group of dark-colored minerals, composed chiefly of magnesium and iron.
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Compare felsic
Etymology
Origin of mafic
1910–15; ma(gnesium) + Latin f ( errum ) iron + -ic
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Example Sentences
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To be more specific, felsic rocks typically have biotite and/or amphibole; intermediate rocks have amphibole and, in some cases, pyroxene; and mafic rocks have pyroxene and, in some cases, olivine.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
Figure 3.12 The chemical compositions of typical mafic, intermediate, and felsic magmas and the types of rocks that form from them.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
Intermediate rocks have between 20% and 50% ferromagnesian silicates, and mafic rocks have 50% to 100% ferromagnesian silicates.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
From the perspective of volcanism there are some important differences between felsic and mafic magmas.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
Although there are many exceptions to this trend, mafic magmas typically have 1% to 3% volatiles, intermediate magmas have 3% to 4% volatiles, and felsic magmas have 4% to 7% volatiles.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
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