Dunn-Seiler Museum: Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks: Stone from Fire
Igneous rocks are formed from the cooling of molten rock (called a melt) which can be either magma or lava. Magma is a melt that is found beneath the surface of the Earth, while lava is a melt that has been pushed to Earth's surface in active volcanic regions. Though the composition of magma and lava can be the same, the rocks that form from them differ greatly in texture. Magma cools in an insulated environment, allowing minerals time to grow large enough to be seen and identified with the naked eye. The textures and rock types formed from lava vary greatly and range from fine grained crystalline rocks to glassy texture.
Volcanic environments can also create large amounts of ash and other pyroclastic sediments. These can be welded together into volcaniclastic rocks such as tuff and volcanic breccias.
Below is a sample of igneous rocks that can be seen on display in the Dunn-Seiler Museum on the Mississippi State University campus. If you wish to visit the museum in person, you can view our hours of operation if you CLICK HERE.
