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Lopolith identification and geology

A large, saucer-shaped or funnel-shaped concordant intrusion that sags downward into the underlying country rock. Lopoliths are typically composed of mafic to ultramafic igneous rocks and form when dense magma is emplaced along a bedding plane, causing the floor to subside under the weight of the intrusion. Many of the world's most important layered mafic intrusions are lopoliths. Field: petrology. Example: The Bushveld Complex in South Africa is the world's largest layered intrusion and has a lopolithic geometry, hosting the majority of the world's platinum, chromium, and vanadium reserves.. Related terms: Laccolith, Sill, Layered intrusion, Concordant.

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  • Laccolith
  • Sill
  • Concordant

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:42.027557+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Lopolith mean in geology?
A large, saucer-shaped or funnel-shaped concordant intrusion that sags downward into the underlying country rock. Lopoliths are typically composed of mafic to ultramafic igneous rocks and form when dense magma is emplaced along a bedding plane, causing the floor to subside under the weight of the intrusion. Many of the world's most important layered mafic intrusions are lopoliths.
What is an example of Lopolith?
The Bushveld Complex in South Africa is the world's largest layered intrusion and has a lopolithic geometry, hosting the majority of the world's platinum, chromium, and vanadium reserves.
Which earth-science field uses the term Lopolith?
Lopolith is used in petrology.
Which terms are related to Lopolith?
Related terms in this reference are Laccolith, Sill, Layered intrusion, Concordant.

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