What is Magma ?

•        Natural rock fluid beneath the earth’s crust, which may consolidate to form an igneous rock.

Illustration of a magma chamber.

•        When magma is erupted, it is called Lava.

Image of a lava flow

 Salient features of Magma

•        Extensive variation in igneous rocks with regard to mineral composition and texture due to variable magma compositions and conditions in cooling.

•        Magmas are essentially silicate in composition usually begin to crystallize at high temperature levels.

•        Magmas have a range of crystallization temperature.

      •        They have adequate fluidity and contain variable amount of volatile materials.  

    Composition of Magma

    99 % of any given magma is made up of 10 elements, including

•        Si

•        Ti

•        Al

•        Fe

•        Mg

•        Ca

•        Na

•        K

•        H

•        O

•        As most of the elements are positively charged, and oxygen is negatively charged. The positive ions combine with oxygen to form respective oxides.