Igneous Rocks – (from the Latin word for fire) are also known as primary rocks.

It formed from
hardening and crystallization of magma or molten material that originates deep within the earth.
The melt originates deep within the earth near active plate boundaries or hot spots, then rises
toward the surface.

Quick Facts about igneous Rocks:

About 95% part of earth's crust is made up of igneous rock. Even earth's moon is made up of
igneous rock. Igneous rocks are helpful in the growth of plants because they contain many
minerals which can help a plant to grow.

 Two types of igneous rock:

1. Intrusive – also called “Plutonic Rocks” It cools slowly beneath the Earth surface and are
created by magma. The intrusive igneous rocks have very large crystals (coarse grained).

(These are igneous rocks that are formed by the solidification of hot magma deep inside the
earth’s crust. With no air to cool the magma, these rocks are formed very slowly. And due to its Very
slow cooling process allows crystals to grow large

Examples are Diorite and Granite

2. Extrusive/Volcanic rock - forms when magma makes its way to Earth’s surface as lava and
then cools. The crystals are very small (fine-grained) since the cooling process is fast.

(is produced when magma exits and cools as lava at or near the Earth's surface. Exposed to the
relatively cool temperatures of the atmosphere, the lava cools quickly meaning that mineral
crystals don't have much time to grow. This results in rocks with a very fine-grained or even glassy
texture. Hot gasses are often trapped in the quenched lava, forming bubbles

An example of this is Punice, Scoria, Basalt, and Obsidian.

 Igneous rocks are classified based on

1. Composition- it refers to rock’s mineral and chemical make-up.

Felsic – igneous rocks that are light in colors; feldspar and silicates
Mafic – dark-colored igneous rocks made up of magnesium, calcium and iron
Intermediate – refers to igneous rocks between mafic and felsic composition.
Ultramafic – denotes igneous rocks that composed chiefly of mafic minerals.

2. Texture - overall appearance of a rock based on the size, shape, and arrangement of
interlocking mineral crystals.

Aphanistic – fine-grained rocks with crystals seen by aid of microscope.

Phaneritic - coarse-grained rocks
Porphyritic – large crystals with small crystals
Glassy - a rock that looks like colored glass with no visible mineral crystal.
Pyroclastic - results from explosive fragmentation of volcanic material.