Porphyry and Hornfels Definition

Definition of Porphyry and Hornfels

The general Porphyry and Hornfels definition can be stated as: Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix. On the other hand, Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock. Along with definition of Porphyry and Hornfels, get to know about Properties of Porphyry and Hornfels. Get to know more information about Porphyry and Hornfels origin and discoverer, etymology and class.

History of Porphyry and Hornfels

The history of Porphyry and Hornfels gives information about where the rock was found and who was its discoverer. Almost each and every aspect of Earth's history is recorded in rocks be it the volcanoes which were erupted or the plants, animals and organisms which are now extinct, as rocks are present from millions of years.

Porphyry and Hornfels Origin and Discoverer

Porphyry and Hornfels definition gives us a brief idea about the two rocks. In some cases, the definition also gives summary about the Formation of Porphyry and Hornfels. In this section, you will know about Porphyry and Hornfels Origin and Discoverer. Origin of Porphyry is Egypt whereas Origin of Hornfels is New Zealand. It is interesting to know the name of Porphyry and Hornfels discoverer. The discoverer of Porphyry and Hornfels are Unknown.

Etymology of Porphyry and Hornfels

Along with Porphyry and Hornfels definition, know more about the etymology of Porphyry and Hornfels. Etymology of Porphyry and Hornfels gives information about origin and formation of a particular rock. Know more about Formation of Porphyry and Formation of Hornfels. The etymology of Porphyry is From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites while that of Hornfels is From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites. The process of formation of rocks defines the class of rock. All the rocks in a class are formed by similar processes. Porphyry belongs to Igneous Rocks while Hornfels belongs to Metamorphic Rocks. The sub-class, group and other categories of Porphyry and Hornfels are listed below.

For Porphyry,

• Sub-class: Durable Rock and Hard Rock
• Group: Plutonic
• Other Categories: Fine grained rock and Opaque rock

For Hornfels,

• Sub-class: Durable Rock and Soft Rock
• Group: Not applicable
• Other Categories: Fine grained rock and Opaque rock