* Intrusive Mafic Rocks: These form when magma cools and crystallizes slowly beneath the Earth's surface. Examples include:
* Gabbro: Coarse-grained, dark-colored intrusive rock.
* Diorite: A somewhat lighter-colored intrusive rock with both mafic and felsic minerals.
* Extrusive Mafic Rocks: These form when lava erupts onto the Earth's surface and cools rapidly. Examples include:
* Basalt: Fine-grained, dark-colored extrusive rock, often found in volcanic flows.
* Scoria: Vesicular (with holes) extrusive rock, common in volcanic eruptions.
The key difference between intrusive and extrusive rocks lies in the cooling rate of the magma/lava:
* Intrusive: Slow cooling allows for larger mineral crystals to form.
* Extrusive: Rapid cooling results in smaller, more tightly packed crystals.
Therefore, mafic rocks can exist in both intrusive and extrusive forms, depending on where and how the magma/lava cools.