Geological Glossary

Glossary of common terms used in geology, and related to earth sciences.

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Amphibole

The amphiboles are a family of silicate minerals that form prism or needle-like crystals. Amphibole minerals generally contain iron, magnesium, calcium and aluminum in varying amounts along with silicon, oxygen, and water. Hornblende, shown in this image, is a common dark green to black variety of amphibole; it is a component in many igneous and metamorphic rocks.

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