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Mantle identification and geology

The thick layer of silicate rock between the Earth's crust and outer core, extending from the Moho 5–70 km depth to the core-mantle boundary 2,900 km depth . The mantle constitutes approximately 84% of Earth's volume and is predominantly composed of iron-magnesium silicates olivine, pyroxene, garnet . Though solid, the mantle convects over geological timescales, driving plate tectonics. Field: structural geology. Example: Mantle xenoliths brought to the surface by kimberlite eruptions provide direct samples of the upper mantle, consisting primarily of peridotite composed of olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and garnet.. Related terms: Crust, Core, Asthenosphere, Convection.

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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
2026-03-30T15:19:42.055955+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 Mantle mean in geology?
The thick layer of silicate rock between the Earth's crust and outer core, extending from the Moho 5–70 km depth to the core-mantle boundary 2,900 km depth . The mantle constitutes approximately 84% of Earth's volume and is predominantly composed of iron-magnesium silicates olivine, pyroxene, garnet . Though solid, the mantle convects over geological timescales, driving plate tectonics.
What is an example of Mantle?
Mantle xenoliths brought to the surface by kimberlite eruptions provide direct samples of the upper mantle, consisting primarily of peridotite composed of olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and garnet.
Which earth-science field uses the term Mantle?
Mantle is used in structural geology.
Which terms are related to Mantle?
Related terms in this reference are Crust, Core, Asthenosphere, Convection.

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