Pyroxene
The pyroxenes are a group of important rock-forming inosilicate minerals found in many igneous and metamorphic rocks. They share a common structure consisting of single chains of silica crystals with the general formula XY(Si,Al)2O6 where X and Y represents metal ions. Although aluminium substitutes extensively for silicon in silicates such as feldspars and amphiboles, the substitution occurs only to a limited extent in most pyroxenes.
Pyroxenite is an igneous rock made up of minerals from the pyroxene group.
Pyroxene Media
- PIA16217-MarsCuriosityRover-1stXRayView-20121017.jpg
First X-ray diffraction view of Martian soil – CheMin analysis reveals feldspar, pyroxenes, olivine and more (Curiosity rover at "Rocknest")
- Microscopic image Pyroxene.jpg
A thin section of green pyroxene
- Peridot in basalt.jpg
Mantle-peridotite xenolith from San Carlos Indian Reservation, Gila Co., Arizona, USA. The xenolith is dominated by green peridot olivine, together with black orthopyroxene and spinel crystals, and rare grass-green diopside grains. The fine-grained gray rock in this image is the host basalt.(unknown scale).
- Ino a.jpg
A single chain of silicon tetrahedra viewed in the [100] direction
A single chain of silica tetrahedra viewed in the [010] direction
- Diopside c scaled ibeam.jpg
Structure of pyroxene looking along the silica chains. "I-beams" are outlined in green. Silicon ions are oversized to emphasize the silicon chains.
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