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What Are the Rocks in the Asthenosphere?

Below the rocky surface of the Earth is a putty-like layer of minerals 170 kilometers thick known as the asthenosphere. Due to internal pressure it is compressed into something between a liquid and solid state, which slowly flows both vertically and horizontally. Under these conditions what are commonly known as rocks cannot exist. Instead there is a semi-liquid mineral "ocean" made up of olivine and pyroxene.
  1. Olivine

    • The mineral olivine is composed of the elements iron, magnesium and silicon. It is categorized in the silicate chemical group. Under certain conditions it can become a gemstone called peridotite that has a green tint.

    Pyroxene

    • The mineral pyroxene is composed of the elements calcium, magnesium, iron, silicon and oxygen. It is a dull black in color and sometimes can be found in crystal form in hot lava. This is how it got its Greek name of "fire (pyro) stranger (xene)" because the unmelted crystals in lava seemed to come from somewhere else.

    Rock Forming Minerals

    • Olivine and pyroxene are considered rock forming minerals. They flow up to the surface of the Earth through the lithosphere, where they become the basic material which other surface minerals and elements combine with to make rocks.

    Olivine and Pyroxene on the Surface

    • Olivine and pyroxene can appear on the surface of the Earth in combination with other types of rock. Green sand near lava fields is olivine. The dull black crystals found in metamorphic rock like marble or igneous rocks like granite are pyroxene.

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