GeoMiner Free earth-science tools

Built by a geologist

Scoria identification and geology

A dark-colored, vesicular volcanic rock formed from mafic to intermediate magma ejected during moderately explosive eruptions. Scoria is denser than pumice, has larger and more irregular vesicles, and is typically basaltic to andesitic in composition. Scoria cones cinder cones are the most common volcanic landform on Earth, built by the accumulation of scoria fragments around a vent. Field: volcanology. Example: Parícutin in Mexico, which erupted from a farmer's cornfield in 1943, built a scoria cone over 400 m high in just nine years, providing a rare opportunity to observe the complete lifecycle of a cinder cone volcano.. Related terms: Pumice, Vesicle, Cinder cone, Basalt.

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
2026-03-30T15:19:42.127987+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.

Read GeoMiner's editorial methodology or report a content issue.

Common questions

What does Scoria mean in geology?
A dark-colored, vesicular volcanic rock formed from mafic to intermediate magma ejected during moderately explosive eruptions. Scoria is denser than pumice, has larger and more irregular vesicles, and is typically basaltic to andesitic in composition. Scoria cones cinder cones are the most common volcanic landform on Earth, built by the accumulation of scoria fragments around a vent.
What is an example of Scoria?
Parícutin in Mexico, which erupted from a farmer's cornfield in 1943, built a scoria cone over 400 m high in just nine years, providing a rare opportunity to observe the complete lifecycle of a cinder cone volcano.
Which earth-science field uses the term Scoria?
Scoria is used in volcanology.
Which terms are related to Scoria?
Related terms in this reference are Pumice, Vesicle, Cinder cone, Basalt.

JavaScript is loading the interactive GeoMiner experience. The identification tools provide educational candidates, not laboratory confirmation.