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Pyroxene identification and geology

A group of important rock-forming inosilicate single-chain minerals with the general formula XYZ₂O₆, where X = Ca, Na, Mg, Fe²⁺; Y = Mg, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Al; Z = Si, Al. Pyroxenes are dark-colored and found in most mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks. They are characterized by two cleavage directions intersecting at approximately 87° and 93°, distinguishing them from the 56°/124° cleavage of amphiboles. Field: mineralogy. Example: Augite the most common pyroxene is an essential constituent of basalt and gabbro, appearing as dark, stubby prismatic crystals with the diagnostic nearly right-angle 87°/93° cleavage that distinguishes it from hornblende.. Related terms: Amphibole, Augite, Enstatite, Inosilicate.

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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 Pyroxene mean in geology?
A group of important rock-forming inosilicate single-chain minerals with the general formula XYZ₂O₆, where X = Ca, Na, Mg, Fe²⁺; Y = Mg, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Al; Z = Si, Al. Pyroxenes are dark-colored and found in most mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks. They are characterized by two cleavage directions intersecting at approximately 87° and 93°, distinguishing them from the 56°/124° cleavage of amphiboles.
What is an example of Pyroxene?
Augite the most common pyroxene is an essential constituent of basalt and gabbro, appearing as dark, stubby prismatic crystals with the diagnostic nearly right-angle 87°/93° cleavage that distinguishes it from hornblende.
Which earth-science field uses the term Pyroxene?
Pyroxene is used in mineralogy.
Which terms are related to Pyroxene?
Related terms in this reference are Amphibole, Augite, Enstatite, Inosilicate.

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