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Xenolith identification and geology

A fragment of pre-existing rock country rock that has been incorporated into an igneous rock during magma emplacement or eruption. Xenoliths are typically angular and may show partial melting or reaction rims from contact with the surrounding magma. They are extremely valuable because they provide direct samples of rocks from depth, including mantle xenoliths brought to the surface by kimberlites and alkali basalts. Field: petrology. Example: Peridotite xenoliths in the kimberlite pipes of Kimberley, South Africa, are fragments of the mantle lithosphere from depths exceeding 150 km, providing direct information about the composition and structure of the Earth's deep interior.. Related terms: Inclusion, Country rock, Kimberlite, Mantle.

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
2026-03-30T15:19:42.096023+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 Xenolith mean in geology?
A fragment of pre-existing rock country rock that has been incorporated into an igneous rock during magma emplacement or eruption. Xenoliths are typically angular and may show partial melting or reaction rims from contact with the surrounding magma. They are extremely valuable because they provide direct samples of rocks from depth, including mantle xenoliths brought to the surface by kimberlites and alkali basalts.
What is an example of Xenolith?
Peridotite xenoliths in the kimberlite pipes of Kimberley, South Africa, are fragments of the mantle lithosphere from depths exceeding 150 km, providing direct information about the composition and structure of the Earth's deep interior.
Which earth-science field uses the term Xenolith?
Xenolith is used in petrology.
Which terms are related to Xenolith?
Related terms in this reference are Inclusion, Country rock, Kimberlite, Mantle.

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