Pyroxene facts for kids
The pyroxenes are a group of important rock-forming inosilicate minerals found in many igneous and metamorphic rocks. They share a common structure consisting of single chains of silica crystals with the general formula XY(Si,Al)2O6 where X and Y represents metal ions. Although aluminium substitutes extensively for silicon in silicates such as feldspars and amphiboles, the substitution occurs only to a limited extent in most pyroxenes.
Pyroxenite is an igneous rock made up of minerals from the pyroxene group.
Images for kids
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Mantle-peridotite xenolith from San Carlos Indian Reservation, Gila Co., Arizona, USA. The xenolith is dominated by green peridot olivine, together with black orthopyroxene and spinel crystals, and rare grass-green diopside grains. The fine-grained gray rock in this image is the host basalt.(unknown scale).
See also
In Spanish: Piroxeno para niños