What is Pyroxene? A Geologist Explains!

#pyroxene #crystals
What is pyroxene? Geologist Dr Brooke Johnson explains with the help of some expert colleagues. Learn how to identify pyroxene minerals in hand sample and thin section, and where you might find pyroxene minerals.
Find me all over social media as GEOLOGY JOHNSON
Lots of useful mineralogical information at www.alexstrekeisen.it/

[@virgo714]

My geology professor took us to Dish Hill by the Mojave Desert in California and we collected some basalt rocks with some pyroxene and peridotite crystals

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Sounds like a cool trip. I've never been to that part of California. Who is your professor?

[@HappyKaci]

Great information and thank you. Yes! Would love to see more videos about amphibole, ultramafic, and etc.

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Glad it was helpful. I'm trying to make videos but work is very busy right now :(

[@MrGiorgioangel]

Ayy so glad a new vid is up! Thank you so much for your content!

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Fenestra_M]

Valuable information to help identify pyroxene minerals-thank you.

[@geologyjohnson7700]

I hope it is useful for you.

[@mochapture]

super underrated - keep going, i love these!!

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Glad you like them.

[@saiwolaw2842]

Thanks, good content !

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Thanks I will!

[@geoffgeoff143]

Thankyou.

[@RolfStones]

I found some diopside in a quarry in the Eiffel a couple of years ago, the quarry had some exposed columnar basalt as well to look at!

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Wow, that sounds exciting. Always wanted to go and visit that area!

[@ukaszbadura5670]

I love your videos. As usual I have learned a lot watching this one. I found a rock which has strange black round crystals in it. I wonder if these are pyroxenes.

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Glad you enjoyed them. Black round crystals could be pyroxenes, depends on the context of the rock though. :)

[@edgeeffect]

Over in the world of electronics, we're always on about doping silicon with boron, phosphorus and whatnot... watching this, I was wondering if silicate minerals are basically "doped" with their metal components.?????

[@geologyjohnson7700]

That's how I tend to think of them. There's the "base" unit of silica, carbonate, phosphate etc, then you swap out the front units for different elements.

[@petrologylearners]

Nice sir

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Thank you!

[@andym6393]

Is there any way I could share a few photos with you?

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Either by my facebook page or there should be a contact email in my about section. Make sure the photo has a scale like your hand or a coin so I can see how big the rock is, and you give as much info as possible as to where you found it.

[@angelpatel-fl7rq]

Where is pyroxene found like the location I have a project so has pls help me

[@geologyjohnson7700]

You can find pyroxenes in most igneous and metamorphic rocks that have ultramafic to mafic compositions for e.g. basalt, gabbro, dolerite. Start with a geological map of your project area and look for those type of rocks.

[@angelpatel-fl7rq]

@@geologyjohnson7700 thank u

[@CepedaAlonso]

Dr. Johnson, a biologist friend asked me why soils derived from serpentine rocks and to a lesser extent, from gabros, can sustain only a particular type of plants. Versus basaltic soils that don't present the exclusive type of plant community that serpentine soils sustain. Apparently it's a well known phenomena in California. I have a background in geology but couldn't answer. Does anybody know anything about this? We were wondering if it was due to heavy metal concentrations or differences in texture of the rocks.

[@julesdingle]

basaltic rocks tend to be more lava soils, although acidic they break down into a good soil structure with organic material and hold to nitrates. Granite soils tend to be thin, the rock breaking down into sand ..whilst easy to cultivate they too are acid but don't hold to nutrients or build up a organic content Hence specialised plants like alpines that cling to acid thin soils but are unable to compete in more nutrient rich environments I don't know if that helps

[@jrepka01]

My expertise is more in surface processes, but a number of years ago there was a discussion among geoscience educators in California about serpentine-derived soils. As I recall, since serpentines are derived from ultramafic rocks their soils are richer in metals like chromium and nickel while poorer in calcium and potassium, making them slightly toxic to a variety of plants. In the western Sierra foothills you can often identify serpentine derived soils because many pine and fir trees won't grow on them, the only exception being the grey pine (also known as the foothill pine or the digger pine).

[@CepedaAlonso]

@@julesdingle Thank you so much

[@CepedaAlonso]

@@jrepka01 Excellent information, thank you so much. I will pass it to my biologist friend

[@julesdingle]

@@jrepka01 sounds interesting .. we don't have a UK equivalent of such hostile soils [beyond old industrial waste sites]

[@gerryhuit5044]

There has a value sir?we have a same rock here in the philippines.

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Sometimes it can be gem quality, but I am not knowledgable about the valuation of gems.

[@BlazingShackles]

I pronounce pyroxene the same way you do. But my American geologist friend makes fun me. He says its "peerowseen".

[@geologyjohnson7700]

Yeah, they often say things different. My american colleague calls it "Piro zeen" and pyrite as "Pir ite". He swears it's the correct pronunciation. I've never heard the way your friend says it though!.

[@BlazingShackles]

@@geologyjohnson7700 he corrects my pronunciation all the time and told me his peers can tell the book read people from the professionals based on certain words. arrogant pricks.

[@tomisanroca]

which rock is that one in 2:30?

[@geologyjohnson7700]

That rock is a basalt. It's from the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.