Intrusive or plutonic igneous rocks are formed beneath the surface of the earth, deep within the crust.

Magma is formed at convergent plate boundaries where descending plates are subducted into the hot mantle.
Plumes of magma rise and insert themselves into the rocks above.
Here, in the heart of fold mountains, the magma cools slowly, surrounded as it is by a mass of insulating rock.
As a result, large crystals form, e.g. glassy quartz.
Granite is an example of an intrusive igneous rock formed at convergent plate boundaries.
Granite is grey in colour, containing quartz, feldspar, mica and other minerals.
Granite is found in the Wicklow mountains.
These mountains were formed during the Caledonian folding era around 450 million years ago when the North
American and Eurasian plates collided.
The molten magma intruded into the folds in the Wicklow mountains and cooled slowly to form masses of
granite, e.g. Leinster batholith.
This rock appeared on the surface when the overlying rock was weathered and eroded.
Extrusive or volcanic rock forms when lava pours out onto the surface of the earth, cools and solidifies quickly.
Basalt is an example of an extrusive igneous rock that forms at divergent plate boundaries.
Basalt is dark brown or black in colour.
The lava cools so quickly that crystals of mica, feldspar and quartz do not have time to develop and therefore,
are not visible.
The lava reaches the surface through a volcanic crater/vent or a fissure.
Basalt can be found in the Antrim Derry Plateau (the Giant's Causeway).
This basalt plateau was formed over 65 million years ago (erupted for 15 million years) when the Eurasian and
American plates began to separate, and lava poured through the fissure that was created on the earth's crust.
Successive flows cooled quickly to form layers of basalt rock.
Hexagonal columns developed through the rapid process of cooling and contracting. (
Giant's Causeway).