TERMIUM Plus®

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XENOCRYST [1 record]

Record 1 2012-04-20

English

Subject field(s)
  • Mineralogy
DEF

A large mineral crystal ... in a finer-grained matrix.

CONT

Kimberlites ... have a distinctive inequigranular texture due to the presence of large rounded, anhedral macrocrysts (i.e., megacrysts and xenocrysts) plus euhedral to subhedral phenocrysts set in a finer grained groundmass.

OBS

A nongenetic term introduced by Clarke(1958...). It may be a phenocryst, a xenocryst, a porphyroblast, or a porphyroclast.

OBS

megacryst: term used at Natural Resources Canada - Earth Sciences Sector.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Minéralogie
DEF

[...] cristal de grande taille, souvent automorphe, enchâssé dans une matrice à grains fins.

CONT

Les kimberlites [...] présentent une texture hétérogranulaire distinctive attribuable à la présence de gros macrocristaux (mégacristaux et xénocristaux) automorphes de forme arrondie ainsi que de phénocristaux automorphes et subautomorphes qui sont répartis dans une matrice à grain plus fin.

OBS

Contrairement au terme phénocristal qui implique une cristallisation à partir du magma initial, le terme mégacristal n'a pas de connotation génétique.

OBS

mégacristal : terme en usage à Ressources naturelles Canada - Secteur des sciences de la Terre.

Spanish

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