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Orbicular Diorite

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Washington, DC, United States

The concentric, round, inclusive bodies—called orbicules—form in cooling magma chambers. A phenomenon called rhythmic crystallization, in which different minerals crystallize in concentric layers, produces this distinctive structure.

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  • Title: Orbicular Diorite
  • Location: Corsica, France, Europe
  • Type: MIneral
  • Rights: This image was obtained from the Smithsonian Institution. The image or its contents may be protected by international copyright laws. http://www.si.edu/termsofuse
  • External Link: View this object record in the Smithsonian Institution Collections Search Center
  • USNM Catalog Number(s): 53072
  • Scientific Name: Diorite
  • Photo Credit: Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History
  • Field: Mineral Sciences
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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