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Glossary of Geologic Terms

Posted by David

pyroclastic

Sometimes also termed volcaniclastic, this refers to volcanic rock/material that is ejected during an eruption at high temperature. The type of the material ejected can vary greatly, from fine ash, coarser lapilli (~2 mm), crystal fragments (possibly even diamonds), xenoliths, and so on. Very large fragments are termed bombs. Common types of this are xenoliths coated with kimberlitic magma that quenched during flight, resulting in the bombs having an aerodynamic appearance. In kimberlite petrography, the terms PK (pyroclastic kimberlite) or VK (volcaniclastic kimberlite) are commonly used. RVK (re-worked or re-sedimented kimberlite) is VK that has been affected by sedimentary processes such as weathering, erosion, transport and sediment mixing prior to solidification into a rock. In the case of a diamondiferous kimberlite, these processes can work to concentrate or deplete diamonds in certain zones of the kimberlite. With the standard South African kimberlite model, crater (pyroclastic) facies kimberlite is the topmost stratigraphically, and above the diatreme and hypabyssal facies. However, many kimberlites do not have a crater facies unit present due to erosion. Another case in which the kimberlite may not be present is with hypabyssal kimberlite that has never erupted, i.e. a "blind" kimberlite intrusion.

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